Hidden Intentions 2 Read online

  I giggled. “I promise I won’t tell her. Give me fifteen minutes, and I’ll be right downstairs.”

  “Sure, baby.” He hugged me.

  Later on that week, when I finally returned home, I put my wedding ring in the drawer and swore to never look at it again.

  Chapter 30

  Besides a few overdraft fees being accumulated due to transfers not being completed on time, Rome did pretty well without me monitoring the accounts for the restaurant. Fortunately, I had the bank refund over a hundred dollars worth of fees back to the business checking account. BankFIRST, fully aware that mistakes happen, recommended we get a line of credit to link to the account, just in case it happened again. Thanks to great advertising and loyal customers, the restaurant was doing very well. And based on deposits, bills, and payroll, from a business perspective, we were still staying above water.

  “Hey, Nya, how are you doing?” Rome asked before giving me a hug.

  “Back from the dead, I guess,” I responded, shrugging my shoulders. He and I had agreed to meet at the restaurant to talk before the doors opened for business.

  “Here’s your favorite, a virgin raspberry daiquiri with two maraschino cherries and a slice of orange,” he announced after placing it at the bar.

  “Thanks.” I nodded my head.

  “If you don’t mind me asking, have you talked to Tory?” he inquired after taking a deep breath. Rome had an expression on his face as if he was expecting me to take a pan and hit him with it just for asking about the now infamous Tory.

  “No,” I quickly commented after taking a few sips of my daiquiri.

  Anyone could tell by my body language that I didn’t want to talk about Tory or his whereabouts. Tory had made his own choice to leave a life he once cherished. His boss Irv still had high hopes that he’d come back and kept him on the payroll. Through the years Tory worked for Irv, he’d made millions for him. The fact that the two of them were so close was another reason why Tory’s check was still being deposited directly into our joint checking account. At least Tory was still paying for the mortgage.

  Pain, hurt and uncertainty lay in my heart. I hadn’t begun the healing process. To be honest, I was still in shock that he left. Right now, the only two men in my life were God and Daddy.

  “Thanks for coming down here to see me,” Rome said.

  “Sure, no problem. Listen, first I would like to apologize for my absence here at the restaurant. I want you to know—”

  “Nya, I completely understand how devastated you were and probably still are.”

  “Well, I’m back now with fresh ideas. Despite Tory’s choice to leave, I still want to remain business partners with you. Besides, I consider you a friend.”

  We shook hands.

  “Let’s hear those ideas you mentioned.” He nodded.

  “I wanted to suggest an all-you-can-eat buffet on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. It can spice up the week for people’s taste buds because it won’t be limited to just one type of dish. Also, on Mondays through Thursdays between the hours of four and six p.m., we can have drink specials and offer half off appetizers. And perhaps you can create daily lunch specials. Basically, my goal is to attract more customers and offer more affordable prices. A lot of businesses are closing down, and the unemployment line is increasing. I want the community to feel like this a good family-friendly neighborhood restaurant with reasonable prices. I want to make sure business stays good. We couldn’t ask for a better team here, and I would hate to have to lay off any staff. They have families to take care of too. So what do you think?”

  “I don’t want to lay anyone off either. Plus, the staff has been on their A-game because of the fear of getting the boot due to the economy. Your ideas are catchy and well thought out. I think we should continue to have a featured dish every night. Also, on the weekends, we should introduce a dinner special at two for twenty-five dollars. It will include an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert.”

  “Your suggestions are a go-ahead in my book. I also want to start doing radio advertising. I know a sales representative who can give us a great deal on radio airtime on 103 JAMZ, 95.7, 92.9, 101.3, and 105.3. I don’t want to spend no more than two thousand.”

  “Sounds good to me. Can you stay for lunch?”

  “Not really. My boss asked me to come in an hour early today. She wants to discuss something with me. I’ll tell you what—can you whip a to-go box full of entrées to feed about six to seven people? I’m sure my coworkers would appreciate it.

  “Let me grab an apron.”

  Food always put smiles on people’s faces especially when you work twelve- to sixteen-hour shifts. Also, it was my way of saying thank you to all the coworkers who called to check up on me.

  A few weeks ago, I’d returned to work and was welcomed back with open arms from everyone. It felt good to be back on my normal routine. Jill confided in me that her own father was an alcoholic and was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver. You never know what other people are going through in their own lives.

  Chapter 31

  “I smell food,” David blurted out as he headed toward me.

  Karen and Evita followed close behind him.

  “Back away, you’re not on my favorites list,” I said to him jokingly.

  “Come on, Nya, I’ve been working a twelve-hour shift. Coffee and stale peanuts aren’t hitting the spot. At home, the only thing in my pantry is beef-flavored Oodles of Noodles.”

  “I’m starving.” Evita took the bags from my hands.

  “Who said any of this was for you guys?” I asked, a grin on my face.

  “We’ll take this to the nurses’ lounge. We’ll give David, our hospital crumb-snatcher, a little bit.” Karen told me, “Jill is asking for you.”

  “Where is she?”

  “In her office.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll save some for you,” Evita said.

  “I’m not hungry. Eat all you want. I bought it for the staff on shift.”

  “Hmm! This food will be gone by the end of the hour,” I heard Karen say as I approached Jill’s office.

  I knocked on the half-open door and made my way in. “Jill, you wanted to see me.”

  A woman who looked familiar was sitting across from her.

  “Nya, yes,” she greeted me with a smile. “Please come in and have a seat.”

  “Hi,” I said to the woman and sat down in the chair next to her.

  “This is Carla Flax. You delivered her son about two years ago.”

  “We meet again. I thought you looked familiar. What I remember most is your daughter Rose that came to visit you. She was around seven and a real cutie pie.” I smiled. Rose took a real liking to me and followed me everywhere she could during the time her mother and little brother were in the hospital. I didn’t mind at all. She was so pleasant and full of life.

  “That’s why I’m here. You see, Nya, Rose has been diagnosed with a rare heart disease. Fortunately, with hopes and prayers from our family, friends, and church, she was able to get a heart transplant. However, her body didn’t adjust to the new heart. There’s nothing more we can do, and she doesn’t have that long to live.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I whimpered, placing my right hand on my chest. The mere thought of a child of mine dying was something I couldn’t even imagine.

  “Thank you. I was able to enroll her in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. One of the things she would to like to do is meet The Cheetah Girls. She’d also like to shadow you for a day as a nurse. Ever since Rose met you two years ago, you’re all she talks about and says she wanted to become a nurse just like you. So all I’m asking is if she can come to work with you for a day,” Carla proposed to me in tears.

  “Of course, she can. I will make it fun for her. Whatever day is convenient for you, please let me know. I will make myself available.”

  “Tuesdays seems to be better days for her, and she’s less tired. If it’s all right with you, I will be here next Tuesday with her. Thank yo
u so much. She’s going to be so excited.” Carla stood to give me a hug.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Until today, I didn’t know how much of an impact I made on people.

  Later that night, I went to a medical store and made a rush delivery of custom-made medical scrubs in The Cheetah Girls print in Rose’s size. The hospital donated a basket filled with the latest DVD from The Cheetah Girls, an iTunes gift card to download their music, teddy bears, stickers, journals, a stethoscope, blood pressure cuffs, kid-friendly medical DVDs, and a nametag especially designed for her.

  Chapter 32

  I had my good days and bad days. Some mornings, after waking up, I would even wonder what kind of day I would have. The good ones had laughter and me enjoying the simple things of life and feeling on top of my game. The bad ones were filled with me having a horrible attitude, feeling depressed, pissed off, and not wanting to be bothered with anyone. Those days consisted of me eating whatever I thought could help me feel better, especially fried fish and French fries cooked hovered in a thick batter. One thing I always had on good or bad days was a to-hell-with-them mentality toward men.

  Today, it didn’t help much that Chris Caliente on 103 JAMZ had her show, Girl Talk featuring a lady about three years older than me going through almost the same thing as me. Her husband had been in and out of her life, hooked on heroin. She was confused about whether to stay with him or not. What kept her with him for nine years was their three children. One caller advised her to be patient, to pray and urge him to go to rehab.

  After I heard that, the tension around my head tightened. Why does she or I have to be patient? Men thinking and feeling they can come and go as they please is bullshit. Tory left me for some goddamn alcohol and wasn’t looking back. He had a wife and a home to take care of, but it wasn’t important enough to him.

  I couldn’t grab my cordless phone from the table fast enough to dial the number to the radio station.

  “Hi, this is Chris Caliente, you’re on Girl Talk,” she announced.

  I was truly satisfied to get through the line on the second try. “Hey, Chris, this is Nya, I just wanted to start off saying that I love your show.”

  “Nya, thank you very much. So what’s your thought about the topic of the day?”

  “Well, I don’t agree with the last caller. A few months ago, I gave my husband an ultimatum. It was either me or the drinking. He had at least a day to think about it. Ultimately, he chose the booze. Me, personally, I refuse to be a yo-yo for a man. My husband is a selfish bastard and did nothing but take me for granted. I deserve better, and so does that woman. The lady who wrote the show should follow in my footsteps and move on with her life. Yeah, it’s hard, but I take it moment by moment and get through with the help of my friends and family. When she wants to take him back, think about the unforgettable memories he’s missed with his kids, and when those bills pile up every month and he’s nowhere in sight to contribute.” I took a deep breath.

  Two weeks ago, I had changed the locks and four-digit pin code to the security system. I refused to let Tory think our house had a revolving front door for him to come and go as he pleased. I didn’t know if he would ever come back at this point, but if he ever tried, it definitely wasn’t going to be easy for him.

  “Nya, thanks for sharing.”

  Since I hadn’t been to the gym in weeks, I decided to go first thing in the morning. My alarm went off promptly at six, and I was at the gym by six thirty. Yeah, I was definitely an early riser. The next day, while looking into the mirror, I realized those last extra pounds I’d gained had finally melted off me. Stress will do it every time.

  My trainer Joe worked with me for an hour. While using the punching bag for thirty minutes, I imagined Tory’s face on it. It helped blow off some steam. To be honest, I was still deeply hurt and angry that he had thrown away our dreams together like some old-ass leftovers.

  My bad attitude toward men continued to linger in the air. Any man who got in my way was going to feel my wrath.

  The next thing on my agenda was to head home for a hot shower and breakfast. Granola and ripe blueberries mixed with vanilla yogurt got my energy going.

  My day was off to such a great start. I didn’t want to go to work. It didn’t help to know that the central air system had broken down at the hospital. Severely injured patients and intensive care unit patients were being taken to other nearby hospitals that had the luxury of a working system. To make matters worse, a massive heat wave in the city had been going on for six days.

  Before getting on the elevator to head to the second floor, I closed my eyes, hoping to make it through the day. I had eleven hours and fifty minutes left to go on my twelve-hour shift. Just then, my cell phone vibrated. It was a text message from Tara.

  Yesterday, I heard you on the radio. If you still need to vent, I’m here for you. Love you much.

  “What floor?” I asked a man that got on the elevator with me. He was dressed in a work suit, and his mouth covered with a white mask.

  “Second floor please.”

  I noticed on his front left side shoulder a logo that read Air Professionals.

  “Okay,” I said, pressing 2. I had to press it three times to light up. That’s strange, I thought to myself.

  “How are you doing today?” he asked, trying to make conversation.

  Lucky for me, this ride would be over shortly.

  “It would be better if the central air unit was working properly. Patients and their family members are screaming in our faces about it.”

  “Well, we tried to fix it by cleaning it out.”

  “It didn’t work.”

  “My team and I are aware of it. Now, we just received word the higher-ups in this hospital approved for a brand-new unit to be installed. It won’t be here until tomorrow.”

  “Good. I’ll let my coworkers know. The hospital administration isn’t telling us anything.”

  “I’m glad I could give you the exclusive scoop. The old unit is about twenty-four years old. I’m surprised it lasted this long.”

  “It broke down at the worst time.”

  The elevator suddenly stopped, so I started to press 2.

  “Things happen that way. Be patient. Everything always happens for a reason. Good or bad, they happen at the time they are meant to happen.” He nodded.

  I continued to press the button, but the elevator wasn’t moving, and the button wasn’t lighting up.

  The last thing I needed was a stranger schooling me on how and why things happen. I would have told him to spare me his philosophical thoughts, but right now, I just wanted to be out of this hot elevator.

  “Have you been here long?”

  “For the most part, I’ve been here since eight o’clock this morning.”

  “Have you heard of any problems going on with the elevators?”

  “No, not that I’m aware of.”

  After I pressed the red emergency button, a voice came on over the intercom.

  “Hi, folks, this is the hospital administrator, Fred Sachs, we have called the fire department and they will be arriving shortly. Six out of the ten elevators have stopped midway. Please try to remain calm. We will get you out as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry for the inconvenience.”

  “Damn it! I have patients to take care of.” I dialed the nurses’ station on the second floor.

  “You can’t do anything about it, Nya,” the man announced after reading my nametag.

  The phone line was busy, so I dialed Donna’s cell phone number.

  “Nya?”

  I was surprised I had reception in the elevator. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m stuck in the elevator. Can you take care of my patients till they pry me out of here?”

  “Of course, I will. Are you all right?” How many people are with you?”

  “I’m fine and grateful to have a couple of frosted blueberry Pop-Tarts and a few bottles of green tea to help me get by. It’s just me and one of the g
uys working on the air conditioner unit in here.” I was hoping the man had something to munch on in his pockets because I didn’t plan on sharing any of my food with him. Especially my drinks.

  “Thank goodness, no patients or their families are in there with you.”

  “Yes, you’re right about that. Sachs said he’s working to get us, along with the other people on different elevators, out as soon as possible.”

  “Okay, hopefully, you’ll get out soon. I’ve got to run. One of my patients is complaining about his catheter.”

  “Bye,” we said in unison and hung up the phone.

  I sat on the floor to make myself comfortable. Meanwhile, I started going through my cell phone to erase all of Tory’s pictures.

  “Do you mind if I sit down?” the man asked.

  “Go ahead.”

  “By the way, my name is Vincent Rappaport. I go by Vince.” He took his hat off and opened up his work jacket. He looked to be in his mid-thirties. Curly hair, dark-skinned, shaped-up beard, his rough hands made him appear like he worked hard. From the look of his body, working out seemed to be a priority.

  “Well, you already know my name.”

  “Are you always this impatient and pessimistic?”

  “It depends.”

  “According to the look on your face, this is the worst thing that could happen to you. You seem like the world is coming to an end just because the elevator has stopped.”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  “A few months ago, I saw you on the news about the pharmacist giving you the wrong prescription at Drug Aid. It’s all over YouTube.”

  “I know.”

  “My sister thinks you’re a hero for women around the globe. I just made a mental note to never get on your bad side if I ever met you.”

  “It would be wise to take your own advice about me.”

  We both started laughing.

  “So what do you do at the hospital?”

  “I’m a nurse practitioner and specialize in OB/ GYN, but I can work any floor.”