Hidden Intentions 2 Page 7

  “So now the good old pharmacist is trying to blame you. Stay right there. I’ll have a crew down there in thirty minutes,” she stated and hung up the phone.

  As promised, thirty minutes later the Consumers on Rage crew arrived at the drug store. We began protesting, chanting, “Sixteen pounds.”

  Judy and her associates were explaining what my situation to everyone who attempted to come in the store, urging them not to use Drug Aid and move their prescriptions somewhere else where their money was appreciated. Many people were outraged when they heard my story, and news was traveling fast.

  Two hours later, three news channels were on the scene interviewing Judy and I. The police couldn’t make us leave, and the crowd of chanters was becoming larger.

  Eventually, around two hundred people, mostly women, were in the parking lot protesting. Even Tory’s boss’ wife, Martha, stopped by to lend her lungs to the cause. She was the loudest out of everyone.

  A year earlier, Martha had undergone gastric bypass surgery. Not only was I representing myself, but also every woman who’d ever gained weight because of a wrong prescription. And the fact that weight loss and weight gain were touchy subjects helped to fuel the protest even more.

  Around evening time, the president and the vice president of Drug Aid showed up. First, they spoke with Mr. Bodman then they spoke with me.

  After hearing the tape recording of what Mr. Bodman had said to me, they wanted to work out a deal to get me to simply go away. They knew this situation was definitely bad for business.

  Though I decided to work out a deal with them, I wasn’t going to agree to anything unless I felt completely satisfied with the terms.

  Mr. Bodman lost his job on the spot and decided not to press charges on me for spraying him with Sprite Zero and Coco-Cola Classic. Besides, no one would have believed that an angel like me could have given him a black eye. And the president and vice president gave each person in the crowd up to fifty dollars worth of free prescriptions.

  As for me, I got a three-year paid membership to Bally’s gym, which included a personal trainer and nutritionist. More importantly, I received twenty thousand dollars to simply go away, mere pennies to the Drug Aid Corporation, which could’ve lost millions due to bad publicity.

  Only time will tell how bad a hole this protest burned in their profits. I gave a contribution of five thousand dollars to Consumers on Rage. If it wasn’t for them, I may not have gotten anything until I went to court, which could have taken years. Businesses feared Consumers on Rage because of how far Judy and her associates would go to protect the almighty consumer.

  Another five thousand dollars went to a local teen pregnancy shelter. Besides spending a little bit to pay for B12 shots, I put the rest of the money into a high-rate money market savings account. With the stock market on a losing trend, I wanted the money to be safe and secure.

  Last but not least, I received my five seconds of fame, and was forever associated with the phrase “sixteen pounds.” This experience taught me that corporations have zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

  After getting home, taking a thirty-minute hot shower, eating chicken lo mein, and talking to Tory on the phone about the day’s events, I finally had a chance to listen to all of my voice mails.

  Leah thought I was uptight and needed dick on a regular basis. Plus, she wondered if she could get a free prescription of her choice.

  Tara was laughing hysterically after she saw me on the news, and Yvette was proud and happy I took on the Drug Aid corporation and won.

  A few days later, I went to Farm Fresh to pick up a bag of apples and a jar of Noxzema. Six ladies came up to me and chanted, “Sixteen pounds! Sixteen pounds! Sixteen pounds!” Then they smiled, cheered, and walked away.

  Another lady told me I was a hero for what I did. I didn’t see it that way. I was just sticking up for myself, and I planned to keep doing so in the future.

  Chapter 24

  “Those shoes are fierce,” Leah commented to me as the four of us headed to the Aberdeen Barn for dinner. The main event tonight was the movie premiere of Sex and the City. To ensure we all got good seats, I splurged and paid a little extra for Director’s Hall tickets online. Director’s Hall allows you to reserve your own seats from a virtual map online. Although we didn’t have to worry about rushing to get good seats, we still wanted to arrive at the AMC Lynnhaven theatre at least a half an hour before the show started. Even though gas prices were rising every week, I knew women would scrounge up the money to come out with their friends and probably even drag their boyfriends and husbands to see this movie.

  “Thanks,” I replied, remembering how much I paid for my pair of black signature Manolo Blahnik shoes.

  All of us decided to put on our best dresses in honor of the fabulous Carrie Bradshaw. We planned on enjoying the night to the fullest.

  “I’m stuffed,” Leah said, after taking the last bite of her Maryland crab cake.

  “I’m full too,” I told her, “but I’ll manage to get in a few bites of popcorn and sip on a cherry ice soda.”

  Just then, someone’s cell phone rang.

  “Oh, it’s Rob!” Tara exclaimed. “I haven’t heard from my baby all day.” She left the table and walked toward the bathroom.

  “I ate way too much. Now I’ll have to suck in my gut. It’s going to be hard with this dress.” Leah took a deep breath.

  Tara sat back down at the table. “Stephanie has pulled yet another stunt. Rob has had it. He’s finished with her.”

  “She is the mother of their son,” Yvette responded. “He can’t be done with her. He’ll be dealing with her for the rest of his life.”

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “Well, Stephanie flew in from Atlanta to drop Ryan off. Once she got here, she wanted Rob to pay for a hotel room for her.”

  “Of course, he said no,” Yvette declared.

  “Damn right! He wouldn’t dare do it. So she copped an attitude because she had to pay for a hotel room and a rental car. She figured Rob would be toting her around, but that didn’t happen either. This afternoon, she went to his job. He was in a meeting trying to persuade several doctors on a new blood pressure medication. It’s taken three years for this drug to even get approved. She stormed in the room ranting about how Ryan doesn’t have any food to eat or clothes to wear, embarrassing Rob in front of his colleagues. To top it off, she had the poor kid in nothing but a pull-up soaked in doo-doo and a snotty nose. Finally, security got a hold of her and escorted her out.”

  “Does Rob have Ryan now?” Yvette asked.

  “Yeah. He took him home to bathe, feed, and clothe him. We always keep extra sets of clothes and shoes for him at the house. He had Ryan up until an hour ago. Rob met Stephanie at the nearest police station, so she could take Ryan back. He figured it was the best place to meet, just in case she tried something else.”

  “Did he get fired? How did his coworkers react?” Leah asked.

  “No. From what I hear, his boss has baby mama drama too, so he understood the situation. Stephanie is crazy though. Rob has been giving her four hundred and ninety-five dollars a month since Ryan was born. He’s never missed a month, and they’ve never gone to court for custody or child support or anything like that. Then she calls him one night and tells him she needs more money than what he’s giving her. When Rob told her four hundred and ninety-five dollars was more than enough, she flipped out, threatening to take him to court for it. Now, he’s refusing to give her any more child support until they go before a judge. I’ve never heard him so angry on the phone.”

  I nodded. “It does need to be court-ordered.”

  “Ryan needs to be potty-trained,” Leah said. “Isn’t he five years old now?”

  “Yes, it’s ridiculous. Stephanie feels it’s okay with her if he pees and poops in the bed at night. She doesn’t press the issue. When I met Rob, Ryan was only a few months old. Through the years, Stephanie’s been mad and bitter, refusing to accept that Ro
b doesn’t want her anymore. Hell, he married me, and she still doesn’t get the hint. Now, she does things just to get a reaction out of him. Stephanie doesn’t bother to look my way because she knows I’m not putting up with any of her crap. It only took one time to put that wench in her place. Three years ago, she sneaked upstairs, claiming she had to change the baby. Instead, she cut up a bunch of my panties and thongs. Since then, she’s no longer allowed in my house. I told Rob back then, if he wanted us to stay together, I didn’t want to hear about that day-to-day bullshit Stephanie was putting him through.”

  I giggled. “I remember that episode.”

  “Rob should still pay her child support,” Yvette added.

  “I told him the same thing. Ryan still needs his diapers and clothes and all that. He went down to the courthouse to try to get an earlier date, so we don’t have to wait so long. He also filed for full custody, which I hope comes out in his favor. I wouldn’t mind having Ryan around for good.”

  “You mean Rob and you having Ryan all the time?” I asked.

  “Yes.” Tara nodded, smiling.

  “Says the late-night party girl,” Leah added.

  “To be honest, I love Rob and Ryan. He’s a good kid. All the little boy needs is some stability, structure, and love. When Ryan stays at our house, he’s potty-trained. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m willing to give up going out almost every weekend for the greater good of my marriage and family.”

  “Did you tell Rob the same thing?” I asked.

  “Yes, I sure did. I’m getting older. Going out is fun, and I will probably still hang out, just not as much as I do now. My priorities are changing. But don’t worry, Leah, I’ll always be your true party buddy at heart.” Tara winked at Leah.

  “You’re growing up,” Yvette told her, and we all started laughing.

  Chapter 25

  I stepped onto the third floor of the hospital carrying a small plastic bag in my hand containing a cranberry and apple muffin.

  “Thank God, you’re here,” Donna blurted out.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, stopping in my tracks.

  “Girl, Smokey was throwing up practically the entire night. He’s known for eating dirt, so I figured his upset stomach would subside. My husband took him to the vet this morning. Based on the X-ray, he ate a sock.”

  “What!”

  “That’s right. A sock. It’s going to cost twenty-three hundred dollars to repair his intestines. We just put a new roof on the house. I don’t know what we’re going to do. The kids would be devastated if we have to put him down.”

  “Yeah, the kids would be heartbroken,” I added, shaking my head.

  “Can you cover my patients? I need to go home and sort this out.” Donna rubbed her temples.

  “Yes, I sure will.”

  “Thank you so much. Right now, I only have one patient. Her name is Paula Caplin. Two days ago, she had a miscarriage. Based on her chart, this has been the third miscarriage from invitro fertilization. She’s been crying and is very feisty. I put in for a psych consult; the doctor is in with her now.”

  “As long as she doesn’t throw things at me like Mrs. Bulford attempted to do last week, I can deal with her mouth.”

  Fifteen hours later, tired and ready to go home, I was coming out of the main entrance hospital doors when I found Tara standing by my car.

  “Hey,” I greeted her.

  She took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

  I guess she didn’t want to waste any time getting to the point. “Congratulations! It’s the best news I’ve heard all month.”

  “Thanks.” She gave me a hug.

  “Why the long face?”

  “It hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m going to be a mother. Rob and I will be responsible for another human being for the rest of our lives. He’s so excited. Both of our parents are ecstatic about the news. For a while now, Dad has been putting a bug in my ear about wanting to be a grandfather. I just can’t believe I’m going to have a baby.” Tara giggled.

  “I can’t believe it either. When are you due?”

  “I’m due in May. Right now, my head is spinning.”

  “How about you come to my house for a little bit? I have leftover pork chops sitting in the fridge. I’ll make you my famous antipasto platter to go with it, and we’ll call the girls so we can all eat dinner together.”

  “Well, I never said I wasn’t hungry. Plus, I love that antipasto platter with the garlic-infused olives. They’re so yummy.

  “I’ll follow you home,” she said, rubbing her hands together.

  “Great. I just need to stop by the store and pick up some dessert.”

  Last night, I’d made stuffed pork chops with sautéed spinach and bread crumbs, along with fresh steamed artichoke hearts smothered in parmesan reggiano cheese and brown rice. All I needed to do was make the antipasto platter, and tonight’s dinner was done. For dessert, I planned on picking up pineapple cupcakes with cream cheese icing with colorful flowers made out of sugar and food coloring on top. I just hoped the girls didn’t have any plans for tonight and would be able to join Tara and I for dinner on such short notice.

  “Hi,” Yvette greeted us when we opened the front door.

  “Hey,” we replied in unison.

  “Glad my day is over. I’m starving. Feed me.” Leah charged into the house. I hadn’t seen her standing behind Yvette.

  “Hello to you too, Leah,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The food is in the oven. The platter is on the kitchen table. It’s funny how you never find the time to cook us dinner at your house.”

  Leah shrugged her shoulders. “That’s what I have Nelson for.”

  “I’m pregnant. I’m due in May. This bad girl is terrified,” Tara blurted out after popping a piece of salami and an olive in her mouth.

  “Bad girls can be great mothers too,” I expressed, trying to ease her mind.

  “Aaah, you’re joining the club. It’s about time someone else out of the group have a little one. Now, Michael and Natalie will have someone to play with. Those two will love the baby as if it was their own brother or sister. I can’t wait to share the good news with them.” Yvette gave Tara a high-five and hugged her.

  Leah giggled. “Better you than me. No more apple martinis for you.” Then she gave Tara a hug.

  “That’s right,” I said.

  “Let’s eat and talk,” Leah demanded, running into the kitchen.

  After eating, we watched Crooklyn, a movie we hadn’t seen in years. Without a doubt, everybody’s favorite scene was when the aunt pulled the couch out, only to discover the dog they had been searching for all day.

  Chapter 26

  Today, it cost almost fifty dollars to fill up my tank. The gas station down the street was no longer offering full service. They wanted to make sure customers paid the cashier before pumping to ward off people who would pull up, and then drive off when their tank was filled.

  Not in the mood to cook, I went into the store looking for a DiGiorno pizza with cheese only and a pre-made salad.

  When I got home, I ate my store-bought dinner and headed to my bedroom to go to sleep. I wasn’t looking forward to the twelve-hour shift I had the next day.

  Just as I felt I was falling into a deep sleep, I felt a subtle kiss on my forehead and then on my cheek. Then my thighs being caressed gently by masculine hands. I felt my pussy getting moist with every caress.

  Am I having a wet dream?

  Then the hands began to explore my body even more.

  I could hear a song by Stevie Wonder playing in the background. What was the name of that song again? Yes, now I remember. “Send One Your Love.”

  Just then, a warm body settled next to me in the bed.

  Mmmm, this is turning out to be a great dream. Come to Mama, I thought, spreading my legs apart.

  “Baby, I missed you so much. I want you,” I heard a man’s voice whisper.

  Wait a minute. That sounded real. Maybe I’m not dreaming.
I opened my eyes just in time to see Tory reach over to pull the lace ribbon tied on my nightgown.

  “Tory, what are you doing here?” I shrieked.

  “Shhh,” he said, slipping off my nightgown and black panties.

  We began to kiss. I didn’t want to let his tongue go. I missed him so much.

  “Baby, I left the rehab center. It was time for me to come home to you. I almost forgot the code on the security system.” He lifted me off the bed.

  We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. If Tory didn’t already have his clothes off, I would have ripped them off of him.

  “What did Dr. Waters say about—?”

  “No questions. We’ll talk in the morning. Right now, you know what I want and need.” He let my hair down and pushed me up against the wall. He managed to kiss his way down to my pussy. He lifted me up with my legs on his shoulders and began to flick his tongue against my clit over and over again.

  What a ride! I thought

  “On the way here, all I could think about was the first time we did it. I love to taste your pussy. Cum on my tongue, baby.”

  “Aaah, if you insist,” I cooed while cumming. My body shook uncontrollably.

  Our eyes locked.

  “I love you,” Tory whispered.

  “I love you so much,” I managed to get out in between breaths.

  Tory let me slide back down to the carpet and laid me on my back. As his tongue licked my nipples, his finger played with my clit. I didn’t want this endless pleasure to stop.

  I slightly arched my back as I felt him slide his python inside my soaking pussy. Slow, deep, long strokes followed as we kissed again.

  After he came, I rolled the chair from the office room into our bedroom and ordered him to sit down in it. As he sat in the chair, his head rolled back while I deep-throated him. I couldn’t help but to climb on his dick and tighten my pussy muscles around it again.