If Your Wife Only Knew (15 page)

Soon Rashad was ready to go. He and Alexis had driven in separate cars, so he left her with Hayley at the water park while he went to pick up Myles. Afterward, he drove his son to the toy store and bought him everything he wanted as long as he didn't spend more than two hundred dollars.

“You my little man, you know that, right?”

“I know, Daddy.”

“And I have been the best father I can be and I plan to be even better.”

“Okay, Daddy,” Myles answered Rashad, but he was more interested in observing his new toys, especially the radio-controlled quadcopter which looked as much fun as the helicopter he already owned.

When they arrived home, Kiara was quietly sitting in the darkness of the family room. The air was stiff with tension. Once Myles ran upstairs to his room, Rashad came and sat beside Kiara.

“I apologize for how the day went. I'm not good with handling last-minute surprises, Kiara. I had to make do.”

“You don't ‘make do' with your flesh and blood, Rashad.”

“I know that. But I did the second best thing.”

“Who is that woman?”

“All I can say is she is a registered day care operator that I came to meet when I did some work in that area.”

“What's her name?”

“Do we really need to go there?”

“Unless you're fucking this babysitter, I don't see why I can't know her name.”

“She's not a babysitter. We-we call her Glynn.”

“We? Who is we?”

“Me, Kiara. Me.”

She gave him the side-eye. “Rashad, what is happening to us?” Although her husband told her Alexis was a fling, her gut told her what her husband wouldn't and it scared her. But her love for him and her family compelled her to give the union another try.

“Babe, it's called rough patches. But the rough can turn smooth. If you chill out and just keep being a good mother, a great wife, everything will work itself out.”

“One more question, why did I hear kids' voices in the background?”

Rashad could have had a ‘these are my confessions' moment, but the truth would've killed his wife. He didn't want her to feel that pain.

“She runs a twenty-four-hour day care.”

“Really? How fucking convenient for your ass.”

“Another thing, Kiara, you heard what you heard because you were snooping when my phone accidentally called you. You should've just hung up.”

“Are you serious? That's bull.”

“When you look for trouble you will find it. Stop looking for it, Kiara. Stop making things worse than what they ought to be.”

He left his wife alone in the silence of her thoughts, and in the uncertainty of their marriage.

That night, when Rashad went to sleep, he knew that he was in deep trouble. His heart was now attached to three different women, four if his little girl was included. And even though there was no way he could give quality time to all of them, he knew he lacked the ability and desire to give up any of them.

T
he next Tuesday afternoon when Kiara wasn't expected to be in the office for hours, Shyla and Nicole strolled back into the workplace after enjoying a two-hour lunch. They took their sweet time parading past Alexis like they didn't have a care in the world.

The gorgeous beauty sat solemnly at her desk dreamily staring into space. And she had no idea her coworkers had drunk a little alcohol during their lunch break and were in some type of mood.

The two ladies stood directly in front of Alexis, making sure she could see them. Nicole dramatically boosted up her smart phone and aimed it. Shyla and Nicole stood cheek-to-cheek and poked out their lips in a sexy Marilyn Monroe pout.

Alexis heard the camera click several times.

“This one is going on my IG,” Nicole said. “Give the haters something to hate about.”

“Yeah, girl,” Shyla was saying. “I know what you mean. Like when I posted my engagement photos on social media, haters came out the woodwork. These birds can't stand to see another chick happy. But hey, I can't help but spread my joy. My baby takes real good care of me. That is why I know I have met my soul mate. He courted me the right way. The way you start out is the way you'll end up.”

Shyla admired her engagement ring. “And he paid three months' worth of salary for this bad boy. That's a lotta paper. My man hustles hard for me. Sometimes I feel so unworthy.” She cackled until Alexis couldn't stand it anymore.

“You know I've been thinking the same thing,” she replied. “Sometimes when I find out that certain women get engaged, I immediately question how the hell did that happen? She ain't even worth all that. These days basic bitches on the come-up while real bosses gotta wait. Somehow, that shit don't add up.”

Nicole said, “Ooh, I didn't know she talked ratchet. She always tries to act like she is so sophisticated and we're soooo beneath her.”

“Oh, this one can go from thinking she white to acting black real quick. I told you, you gotta watch the fake ones,” Shyla remarked.

“There's nothing fake about me,” Alexis responded.

“‘There's nothing fake about me' claims the chick with twenty-two inches of horse strands glued to her scalp.”

“Nicole, you're one to talk. I see you started wearing colored contacts. That's about as phony as you can get.”

“But no one would ever know I wear contacts unless I tell them. Your head of bone-straight Indian hair is screaming, ‘Faaaaaaaaaaaake.'”

“That's dumb,” Alexis responded. “I knew you wore contacts and you never told me.”

“Excuse me? Did we become best friends and no one ever told me?”

Shyla almost fell over laughing. “I
love
this new you, girl.”

Alexis was stunned. Nicole didn't seem like the same chick that she met less than two months ago. She'd become much feistier, like she was feeling herself.

“And you're hating on me because you think you can size up folks,” Nicole continued, “but you got it wrong when it comes to me. I may seem quiet, but don't try me. Because if I have my way, they'll be calling you Sexless Alexis.”

Alexis couldn't believe it. There was nothing worse than getting dissed by a basic bitch in front of a basic bitch.

“Nicole, at least I look fierce, which is more than I can say about you with your irrelevant Dogzilla-looking ass.”

“I am a lot of things, but ugly ain't one of them.”

“You have a nasty attitude and yes, you are one ugly-ass bitch. Plus you have no personality. You are about as charming as Ebola spit.”

“At least somebody likes this spit.”

“Tell her, girl.” Shyla laughed.

Dislike oozed from Nicole's face. Alexis didn't understand where the hate was coming from. She barely knew her. But she rationalized that Nicole was intimidated because Alexis was so stunningly pretty. Alexis McNeil had been treated rudely a thousand times by insecure chicks ever since middle school. But just because she was used to it didn't mean she liked it or would stand for it.

“I don't give two shits about your pretend boyfriend, Nicole. You are really a joke.”

At this point, Shyla was shrieking and wiping tears from her eyes.

“Shyla, if I can recall, you used to boohoo to me about how you couldn't get a man to save your life. And now that you have one, you're always trying to give other women advice. You better hope y'all even make it down the aisle.”

“Oh, don't you worry about that. I am secure in my relationship. And don't hate on me because Wesley put a ring on it. If a man wants you, there is no stringing a woman along for years. Won't be no ‘Twelve Years an Old Maid.'” Shyla placed her hand on her back. She started walking bent over like she was ninety-nine years old. “A real man'll snatch a real woman's ass up and wife her in no time, just like bae did me,” Shyla said. “And I do not apologize for that.”

“I may not be wifed up today, but my time will come. I have no worries.”

Before they could go in on her again, Alexis turned around and grabbed her purse from a desk drawer. She reached in and removed her pack of Capri Indigo cigarettes.

“See there, Nicole. This woman pretends to have it together, but she is weak. She depends on cigarettes to cope. What's next, crack?”

Alexis merely ignored the comment.

“The only ring Alexis McNeil can get . . . is a smoke ring.” Nicole pretended to hold a cigarette, inhale, and blow invisible smoke rings. Shyla burst into giggles.

Alexis knew that someday, somehow she was going to make these women regret ever fucking with her.

 

The next day was Hump Day. And Rashad blew off Alexis for lunch. She knew she wouldn't have sex with him, but she still needed to see and talk to him.

“Busy. Can't do it. I'm working hard. But I will see you again soon. I promise.”

“You know what you can do with your promises.”

“You sound so cute when you're mad.”

She hung up on him. Then she went to the bathroom. She made sure no one else was in there. She entered the last stall. She wouldn't be long; she just wanted to have a ten-minute moment to herself before she went back to her desk.

While Alexis sat on the commode, she heard a voice as someone entered the ladies' room.

“Hey, sexy.” The voice was Rashad's. He was on speaker phone. She figured he was checking in with Kiara and that she had come to use the restroom just then.

“Hiiiiii.”

That woman didn't sound like Kiara.

“What you doing for lunch today?” she heard Rashad say.

“You asking me out to lunch? That's a first.”

“I like to try new things.”

“How we gone do this? I only get thirty minutes, remember?”

“Tell her you had a little emergency and had to take thirty minutes extra.”

“You sure that's okay? I'm still on probation.”

“It'll be fine. Kiara will approve it.”

“Okay.”

Alexis covered her mouth with her hands as she shook uncontrollably. She couldn't believe her lover was on the phone making plans with a coworker that she couldn't stand.

Nicole giggled and laughed as Rashad flirted with her. She told him she had to go. But before she hung up, she made kissing noises as she left the restroom.

Alexis remained on the commode. When she could think clearly, she made up her mind.

Alexis washed her hands and went back to her desk. Lunch would begin in thirty minutes.

She checked her boss's schedule. Kiara was away at a meeting and also had a lunch meeting directly after it. She'd never know she was gone.

Alexis discreetly left the office and drove to the spot. Her and Rashad's spot. She slid her body way down in the front seat of her car so no one could see her.

She saw Rashad arrive first. But he wasn't in his van. He was in his black sedan. It was a new Honda Accord that he had recently purchased.

Alexis began to perspire under her arms. She'd never want Rashad to know what she was doing. But she hated to assume. Evidence would give her what a lying mouth wouldn't.

Rashad entered the restaurant without noticing Alexis. She sat up in her seat and took out her phone. She felt foolish, but she opened the camera app, aimed the phone at his car, and took a few pictures.

And five minutes later, Nicole slinked into the restaurant. Alexis snapped a couple shots of her, too.

She popped the locks and got out of the car. She walked toward the restaurant entrance, grabbed the door handle, changed her mind, and started walking back toward her car. She reached her car and turned around and went back to the restaurant.

She stepped inside and saw the back of Rashad's head. He was standing next to Nicole as they waited for the hostess. Nicole was gazing up at him and laughing. They posed for a picture that Nicole took with her camera.

Alexis was infuriated. She texted Rashad.

He looked at his wrist but didn't respond.

Seeing him with another woman made Alexis feel an indescribable sadness. She was used to being the object of his attention. It felt different when she knew he had to give time to his wife.

Alexis decided not to return to work after lunch. Instead, she texted her boss, then drove all the way to the house on the north side. She parked her car and hurried up the walk to the front door. After she knocked, Glynis answered and said, “What are you doing here? It's not Sunday.” Alexis pushed past her and went inside until she reached the breakfast room. Hayley played with her food. Four little boys were eating their afternoon snack.

“Lessie, Lessie,” the girl chirped.

“How's my little sweetheart?” Alexis picked Hayley up and kissed her cheeks.

“I love you so much. You have no idea how much I love you.”

“What's this about?” Glynis asked.

“I-I just had to see her.”

“Oh, y'all must be on the outs.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because I know how it works. I've seen it plenty of times. When a man pisses off a woman, she either don't wanna see the child to punish the man, or she really wants to be with that child . . . and turns it against the daddy.”

“I'm not trying to do that, if that's what you're thinking. I just miss her.”

Glynis came and seized Hayley from Alexis. Hayley started kicking her legs and screaming. Alexis gave Glynis a smug look and took the little girl back from her. She placed her on her hip and glanced around. “You only got seven kids today, huh?”

“Yeah, one mother heard a rumor about me, and un-enrolled her two kids. That really messed me up. But I'll be fine.”

“What's the rumor that she heard?”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“Miss Glynn left us by ourselves one time.”

Glynis shushed the child. “Stop lying. I did no such thing. Hazel was here.”

“You leave the kids alone? You could get in a lot of trouble.”

“I told you Hazel was here.”

“You probably did it that day you were trying to spy on me and Rashad. You gotta do better, Glynn.”

“Don't judge me. I just got out the hospital, for your information. I'm doing the best I can.”

“Oh yeah? What happened?”

“I had an issue with my blood sugar. I'm better now.”

“Glad to hear that.”

Alexis went to sit in the living room on the lumpy sofa that had books and tops lying stuffed between the cushions.

“You could stand to clean up around here.”

“Unless you're willing to grab a broom and a dust pan, don't tell me how to run my business.”

“Don't be so sensitive. I'm just saying—”

“The custodian will be here this afternoon.”

“Thank God for that.”

Glynis looked her sister up and down. “You always did think you were better than me even though I was Daddy's favorite.”

“I've had a rough day and I don't want to hear all that negativity.”

“Well, you're about to hear it. Your mama was something else, back in the day.”

“Leave my mother out of it.”

“She tried her best to get my daddy to leave us . . . and she was successful . . . except he ended up with another whore and left us broke and forgotten. It seems like you turned out just like her.”

“Glynis, please stop. Why bring up old news? And my mother isn't here to defend herself.”

“Ain't nothing to defend. She was a ‘CU Next Tuesday' type of woman.”

“Are you trying to call my mother a cunt?”

“If the pussy fit . . .”

“That's it. I'm about to take Hayley with me. This is a bad environment for her.”

“It can't be any worse than the one you created for her.”

“Glynis, you're a hot mess. I regret—”

“You regret what? You regret having Hayley for a married jackass named Rashad?”

“Shhhh!” Alexis covered Hayley's ears.

“You're a fool. You're the mess. And you need to get on up outta here right now.” Glynis's voice was loud and harsh.

“I will leave as soon as you pack her bag. I want her to spend the night.”

“Nope, not today. You gone give me more than a five-minute notice, I know that much. That's what your problem is. You so used to snapping your fingers and getting weak men to bow down and kiss your stuck-up ass. But I ain't the one. I got standards. I can say ‘no' as fast as I can say ‘hell no.' And you won't be coming over here any time you please without calling and acting like you can disrespect my place of business.”