Hidden Intentions 2 Read online

  “Remember when Natalie fell in the pool and almost drowned? My man Tory saved the day by quickly grabbing her arm. I will always be grateful to him for that.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I remember.”

  Jarvis got up. “Well, I got a few things to take care of. Thanks again.” And he headed to the door.

  I peeped through the window to make sure he made it out of my driveway. After I saw him drive toward Greenbrier Parkway, I ran upstairs to find Yvette huddled in a corner in my closet.

  “Is he still here?” she asked, silently crying.

  “Jarvis is gone.” I extended my left arm to help her out of the closet. As she continued to cry, I held her in my arms on the bed.

  “I don’t want anyone to judge me.”

  “Judge you for what? What’s going on? We’ve been friends far too long now. Spill it.”

  “Nya, I did it.”

  “Did what?”

  “I’ve been seeing someone else. Last night, we finally had sex. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “I don’t know what to say. To be honest, I’m surprised. I never thought you’d cheat on Jarvis.”

  “Let’s clarify this. Did you think I wouldn’t have the nerve to cheat on Jarvis, or on anyone in general?”

  “I didn’t think you had it in you to cheat on anyone.”

  “He doesn’t know what I’m capable of. No one does.”

  “How long has this been going on?” I asked, still dumbfounded by what she was telling me.

  “Four months. His name is Wayne. He’s got dark chocolate skin, sculpted muscles, and a sense of humor. He’s always made me laugh. That’s the best part of why I took such a liking to him.”

  “How’d you meet him?”

  “At the gym. At first, it was strictly platonic. We would talk about the usual stuff, my husband, his wife, the kids, our careers. This was all around the time Jarvis and his mother were constantly harping on me about everything I did and didn’t do. I got tired of all of it. Plus, him being up his momma’s butt wasn’t helping either. I felt I was losing him. Wayne became a shoulder to cry on, and made me feel accepted, just as Jarvis used to do. I missed that.”

  “What made Jarvis suspicious of Wayne?”

  “I forgot my cell phone this morning. Natalie started playing with it and then handed it to him. Shortly after, I got a text from Wayne saying that he enjoyed last night and wanted to see me again. I didn’t know what else to say but to tell him that I was out with you.”

  “Did you mention Wayne to him at all?”

  “No, not at all. When Jarvis saw the text on my cell phone, I denied even knowing whose number it was and told him it must have been a wrong number. I don’t have his number stored in my phone and I always erase my call history to make sure Wayne’s number isn’t on my phone.”

  “Not all men are idiots and stupid, Yvette. Deep down, Jarvis must still think something’s going on. Hopefully, with me confirming we went out last night, he’ll have all the reassurance he needs to move on from the situation. Look on the bright side of this, Jarvis felt highly threatened at the thought of you being with another man, so now maybe he’ll start treating you better and realize it’s only him and you in the marriage and take his mother out. She’s been causing a lot of friction between the two of you. Now I see why his sister wasn’t too quick to let Grace live in her house with her family. No one wants their home disrupted.”

  Yvette sighed. “You have a point.”

  “What about Wayne?”

  “I ended things with him this afternoon. He said he understood and knows how much I love Jarvis. Plus, I’m sure he’s not leaving his wife anytime soon. We both agreed it was a mistake and admitted we both acted on impulses. The feeling of having someone new to be physically intimate with is great. Hell, I still want him right now! Let’s just say, Wayne knows how to work with his gym equipment.” Yvette giggled. “Eventually that feeling of euphoria will go away. Last night was unexpected. I was enjoying myself. The movie was good. Then we indulged in strawberry shortcake together and shared almost an entire bottle of wine. Next thing I know, we’re at the Marriott Hotel making out and fondling each other like a couple of teenagers. I wanted him so bad. Wayne made me feel desired and enjoyed my company. Afterward, I felt terrible and mainly disappointed in myself.”

  “Well, the fact you haven’t been with any other man besides Jarvis doesn’t help either. The curiosity probably got the best of you. You’re human, Yvette. You made a mistake.”

  She nodded.

  “Things are all right, now. Go get your husband. Don’t ever tell him the truth. Men have a hard time getting over us giving their pussy away to someone else. It’s a territorial thing.”

  “Believe me, you won’t have to ever worry about me confessing the truth to him. I’m curious though—why did you go along with the lie?”

  “I went along with it because I know you would do the same for me. Most of all, I love Jarvis. He’s like a brother to me, even though, ultimately, my loyalty is with you.”

  “Okay. Thanks for sticking up for me today.” Yvette gave me a hug.

  “No problem.”

  “A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The thought of losing Jarvis and my kids terrified me.”

  “You won’t lose them. I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to think about it. Focus on the future and start moving on from this.”

  Chapter 21

  “Let me give you some gas money.” I handed Tara a wrinkled twenty-dollar bill that was crammed in my pocket.

  Gas prices were creeping up close to four dollars a gallon. Some of my patients were telling me about the really hard times they were going through, some of them pawning anything of value to pay for everyday living expenses.

  Next to the mortgage payment, my biggest expense was gas, which was ruling everything right now. It took forty-five dollars to fill up my tank. I refused to go over that amount. Now, I thought about where I was going, how long it would take, and whether it was even necessary for me to go.

  Tara had picked me up from the airport. I was supposed to have landed at eight, but there was a three-hour flight delay. It was now 11 p.m., and I was exhausted.

  For training and conference purposes, I had flown to Chicago. The only thing I had truly looked forward to there was a restaurant called the Oven Grinder Company, where they made pizza potpies. It’s a bowl, any size you choose, of mozzarella cheese, meat, and vegetables in a marinara sauce topped with fresh dough. My trip wouldn’t have been complete without stepping foot into that restaurant, which was a local favorite with friendly and prompt service.

  “Nya, please put your money away. It’s no good to me.”

  “Tara, take the money. Gas is too high for you to be saying no.”

  “My word is final. But, speaking of high gas prices, we can’t even give away a truck at the dealership these days. No one wants to come near those gas guzzlers.”

  Whenever Tara was upset about something, she’d start complaining about something else totally unrelated to what was really bothering her.

  “Is something on your mind?” I asked, as I waited for the luggage to come my way.

  “The anniversary of Mom’s death is coming up soon. I miss her, that’s all.”

  “I know you miss her. We all do. How’s your father dealing with it?”

  “Dad’s fine. He’s dating again. At first, I wasn’t too enthused with the idea but I don’t want him to be alone for the rest of his life either. I mean, that would be selfish of me.”

  “I disagree with you. If either one of my parents began dating after the other died, I wouldn’t be too happy. To be honest, I might even sabotage the relationship. Yes, when it comes to my parents, I’m very selfish.”

  We both began giggling.

  “Dad is more worried about me having another breakdown, but I told him I was fine. Do you remember we’re all going to the gravesite on Saturday to put fresh flowers down?”

  “I
sure do.”

  Every month Tara puts fresh flowers on her mother’s grave to help her cope with the loss.

  Chapter 22

  “Mrs. Sothers, you can come down off the scale now,” the nurse told me. “You’re at one hundred and forty-five pounds. It’s sixteen pounds more than you were a year ago. Now, before you go into room two, I need to get a urine and blood sample.”

  “What? I don’t understand how I’ve gained so much weight,” I announced after giving her the samples she requested. Lately, I’d been eating less because I was working so much. This wasn’t adding up.

  “Maybe it’s something you’re taking. I shouldn’t speculate. I will notate your medical chart for Dr. Hicks to speak with you about your weight concerns and the stomach pain you’ve been experiencing,” she stated after taking my heart rate and blood pressure. She jotted down some notes in my chart.

  “Thanks. The stomach pain feels more like a burning sensation.”

  About a half an hour later, there was a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” I announced.

  “Nya, it’s always a pleasure to see you. How’s everything going? How’s your husband Tory?” Dr. Hicks inquired, while washing her hands in the sink.

  “I’m doing all right. Tory is still in the rehab center and finding other ways to cope with the loss of his father. I appreciate the referral to Dr. Waters. He has been a tremendous help in the recovery process for Tory.”

  As I was speaking of Tory, I couldn’t help but daydream about what we did the last time I went to visit him. While the rest of the visitors were outside enjoying nature, Tory and I snuck away and decided to go in his room. A gentle touch on my arm led to me riding him in a chair. Damn, it was good.

  “I was happy to help,” Dr. Hicks snapped me back into the consultations room. “I’ve been seeing your family for thirty years now, three generations of women, your grandmother, mother, Leah, and yourself. Over the years, you all have been good to me. Now, let’s talk about you.” She sat in her chair and flipped through my medical chart.

  “Yes, the stomach pain is becoming hard to deal with.” I rubbed my stomach.

  “The lab ran the tests I requested. Your urine is normal. There are no signs of problems in the urinary tract, but your blood test revealed that you have developed an ulcer. I’m leaning more toward a stress-induced one. It’s no wonder, with all the worrying and stress put on you from Tory’s drinking.”

  “Now that I think about it, Dr. Hicks, when I’m mad or worried, my stomach does hurt more.”

  “I’m going to write you a prescription for the ulcer. I want to see you back in ninety days.”

  “If the medicine doesn’t work, will I need surgery?”

  “Yes, but try not to think so far ahead. I recommend you take a few days off and reduce what’s stressing you. With Tory in recovery, that’s a positive thing for his and your health too.”

  “What about the weight gain?”

  “I’m not sure. For the last eleven years, you’ve been on the same birth control. Have you been eating more?”

  “No, actually I’ve been eating less because I’ve been working so much at the hospital and the restaurant.”

  “By the way, my husband took me there two weeks ago. It was the first time he ever had Thai food, and we truly enjoyed it.” She smiled. “I recommended three of my girlfriends try the place out as well.”

  “Thank you. Business is booming, and I want it to stay that way. Despite the horrible economy, the restaurant is proving people will still pay to eat good food and keep coming back. In terms of my birth control, you’re right, I’ve been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for years now. I try not to miss a day taking those green pills.”

  “Those pills, I believe, are yellow not green. Honey, do you have a pack with you?”

  “Yes, I do. Let me get them.” I rummaged through my purse and handed her the pack of pills.

  “Oh my!” Dr. Hicks sighed.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “These are the wrong birth control pills. The pharmacy has been giving you Nortrel instead.”

  “What? With everything going on, I didn’t even notice the label was different.”

  “Not only that, the Nortrel pack has the doctor’s name on it. Penderson. I want you to immediately stop taking those pills. I’ll write you a prescription for the correct ones. I’m calling the pharmacy right now.”

  “Could you get the secretary to make me a copy of the prescription you wrote me a year ago for the Ortho Tri-Cyclen and make a copy of the label of the wrong prescription?”

  “Of course.” She nodded and headed out of the door.

  While I was waiting, I calculated in my head how long I had been taking the wrong pills. It had been at least five months. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. This is why my behind has blown up. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world when you’re not doing anything different but you’re gaining weight and your clothes are getting too tight. I felt like I had an incurable disease that no one was suffering from, except me.

  Before Dr. Hicks could say a formal good-bye, I waved her off and was practically running out of the office. I ran down the stairs to get to my car as soon as possible. It was just hitting ten thirty in the morning and I had the day off from work. Drug Aid was going to get a mouthful from me.

  Chapter 23

  “Where’s the pharmacist?” I demanded after stampeding into the Drug Aid store. At least ten people were waiting in front of me. Before walking into the pharmacy, I’d turned on my tape recorder and placed it in my jacket pocket. I still had it in my purse from when I’d used it for the conference in Chicago.

  “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait in the back of the line just like everyone else,” a pharmacy technician said.

  “I’m not waiting anywhere. Unless you plan on helping me, shut up and get me someone who can. I need to speak with the head pharmacist now! I’ve been getting the wrong prescription for months! It wasn’t even from the same doctor. How could anyone mistake the last name Hicks for Penderson? Now, as a result of this huge mistake, I’ve gained sixteen pounds,” I hollered at the top of my lungs. I practically threw the copies I had been given at my doctor’s office in her face.

  “Let me see if I can help you,” she replied, motioning me to another computer and picking up the papers I threw at her.

  Once she put my name in the computer, I snatched the papers back. I planned on making an example out of this establishment. I was sure I wasn’t the only one given the wrong prescription. Other customers may be more forgiving, but I refused to overlook this error and accept a lame apology and a discount on future prescriptions.

  “Mrs. Sothers, you’re right. We’ve been giving you the wrong prescription.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know. Stop standing there and get me the head pharmacist.”

  She looked scared and had no clue what to do next.

  “Katy, let me handle this,” a man intervened. He began looking at the computer with her while she pointed to something.

  I managed to steal a glance at the computer screen and realized the man standing in front of me was the one who’d made the mistake of filling the wrong prescription for me. His nametag matched the name on the screen.

  “Ma’am, my name is Ted Bodman. I’m the head pharmacist here. It appears I was the one who mistakenly filled the wrong prescription for you. I apologize and regret you have gained sixteen pounds. However, we warn all our customers that it’s their personal responsibility to make sure they’re leaving the pharmacy with the correct prescription.”

  “It’s your responsibility not to be so stupid,” I shot back.

  “You have made it clear to everyone in the store that you unfortunately gained sixteen pounds. As an associate of Drug Aid, I want to apologize again for the mistake. If it’s any consolation, you look great. You’re a very beautiful woman. Those pounds you gained probably filled the right places.” He smiled, trying to boost my eg
o.

  For a second I thought I might have heard him wrong, but when I saw the look on Katy’s face, I knew I’d heard correctly. Even the women standing in line looked appalled at what he’d just said to me.

  Instead of antagonizing me with compliments and telling me what I should have done, Mr. Bodman should have listened to me and shown more empathy.

  I quickly grabbed three bottles of soda from a soda machine next to the computer and unscrewed the tops. Then I swung them at him. He wasted no time running for cover.

  I took off one of my New Balance sneakers and jumped the counter. I found him hiding all the way in the back of the pharmacy. He was so concerned with whether or not I was going to hit him with the sneaker in my hand, he didn’t even see my leg go up as I got him with a classic kick right on his dick. It felt so good. Afterward, I beat him with the shoe in my hand and kicked him repeatedly. When he tried to get up, I punched him in the face with all my might.

  “You’re going to jail!” he barked.

  “You’re going to lose your job, and the whole country is going to know what you did to me. It would be in your best interest to call your district manager and get them down here.” I walked to the front of the store and reached in my pocket for my cell phone.

  “Hello, Consumers on Rage,” the receptionist greeted me. “This is Judy. How may I help you?”

  “Hi. My name is Nya Sothers. I’m on the intersection of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Holland Road at the Drug Aid.”

  “Yes, I know where that is. What’s going on?”

  “Well, for the last five months I’ve been given the wrong birth control pills. It was their mistake. I went to the pharmacist to let him know what happened. He told me that the weight gain ‘probably filled the right places,’ if you know what I mean.”

  “What! This agency definitely doesn’t tolerate sexual harassment of any kind.”

  “Then Mr. Bodman tried to shift the blame toward me, telling me that it was my responsibility to check the prescription to make sure it was correct. Checking my birth control wasn’t high on the priority list. I work long hours to make ends meet.” I acted like I was crying, to make damn sure I was convincing and my voice was cracking.