If Your Wife Only Knew (27 page)

K
iara was at her wit's end. She knew it was time to execute her plan. After she rushed to the store to pick up the items for Myles, she came back home and placed a call to Eddison.

“Eddy, it's me. First, I want to apologize for how things went down the last time we talked.”

“Yeah, you made me feel real shitty.”

“And I'm sorry. I am. I wasn't thinking clearly. You've been so very good to me. I know this. So I've had time to think. And my plans for making it work with Rashad simply haven't succeeded. I thought giving it a try was the least thing I could do. But now I have come up with a new plan. Eddy, if you'd have me, I-I want to see what it's like to be with you. I feel so safe with you. I care about you too.”

“Are you sure, Kiara?” He sounded doubtful.

“Come on, Eddy. I've been through hell. Give me a pass. Please!” She was almost in tears. “These last few months have been trying. You know this. You've been there all along.”

He was silent for a few minutes.

“And I still plan to be there,” he finally responded. His voice was forgiving and his heart felt less stony. After all, he did care deeply about Kiara and believed if it was meant to be, he'd hear from her again. He was glad she called.

Kiara felt relieved. “That's why I called you. I just wanted to apologize . . . and tell you I've missed you a lot. And, if it's not a problem, can we come by tonight? Myles and I want to stay the night. He's been yakking about those trains that you have.”

“Are you sure? You think it's okay to do that? Are you positive you're up for it?”

“Honestly, I feel just a little emotional, that's all; things aren't always easy to face when your life drastically changes, especially when you never planned on them.”

Eddison could relate. Losing his soul mate had deeply affected him. He never thought the sorrow from her death would end. But now he was on the mend. He wanted a better life and he wanted Kiara to be part of it; both her and her son.

“Things won't always be easy. But I am here to help you along the way. Tell you what. I will leave the front door unlocked. I can prepare the upstairs master suite for Myles. It's that room in the front of the house. I need to open the window and air it out. It hasn't been used since . . .”

“Since Nina used to live there?”

“You got it.”

“Okay, Eddison. Thanks.”

Kiara hung up the phone. She caressed her stomach and whispered, “I'm so sorry.”

She went to the front hallway and stared at all Rashad's things that she'd thrown in his luggage a while ago. It got filled up with his belongings, but he never took it with him when he left.

She went to her walk-in closet. She hauled dresses and shirts, shoes, and maternity clothes. She dumped all of her belongings inside some of her own luggage. She got a makeup bag and placed toiletry items in there. She toted her bags downstairs and set them next to Rashad's luggage.

She went into the refrigerator and poured a tall glass of lemonade and filled it with ice cubes. She removed a plate of leftovers that Rashad was supposed to eat the other night. She set it on the table.

Then she walked up the spiral staircase and went looking for Myles.

He was in his bedroom. Toys were scattered everywhere. There was barely any room to walk.

“Your daddy's going to kill us,” she said. “Why is your room such a mess?”

“Daddy is going to kill you?” he said.

She gasped at his question then nodded. Her cell phone was in the pocket of her sweater. She discreetly placed her hand on the camera recording app but didn't press it.

“What did you just say, Myles? Say it again. Louder.” She pressed record.

“Daddy is going to kill you,” he yelled.

She screamed. “I can't believe what you just did.” Then she stopped recording. Her hands were shaking. She stared into space.

“I'm sorry, Mommy. I will clean up.”

“Don't bother. It won't make any difference.”

She instructed Myles to pack a few things in his backpack. Then she calmly dialed Rashad.

“Hello?”

“Rashad. You forgot your suitcase. I thought you'd want to come and get it.”

“I was on my way. Nicole told me something about you and another man. What the fuck is going on?”

“Just come and get the rest of your stuff. Myles and I are about to leave any minute.”

“Where are you going? Don't go. Please. We can talk about this.”

“It's too late now. Nothing can change this situation.”

“I'll be there in three minutes.”

She hung up. She called out to Myles and told him to go to the garage.

“Go sit in the car. Get in the backseat. Wait for me. Do not leave the car for any reason. You hear me?”

“Okay, Mommy.”

Before he turned around to go, she wondered if it would be the last time she ever saw him again. She kissed his little cheek.

“I love you, Myles. I tried to be the best mommy. If I failed you, I'm sorry. But I tried.”

He gave her a confused look. “All right.”

She asked him to go to the car and wait.

Then she went back in the house and walked up the long spiral staircase.

She knew Rashad would go through the front door. Minutes later when he pushed the door open and saw her things in the suitcase lying in the hallway, the look on his face said it all. He never looked scared . . . until then. He stepped inside the doorway and left the door wide open.

Kiara gazed down at Rashad.

“What are you doing?” he called up to her.

“Hi. I've been waiting on you.”

“I'm here. What's this I heard about you and some dude? Who is he?”

“I can't tell you, Rashad.”

“So it is true?” He sounded despondent.

“It's true.”

“And your bags . . . why are they packed? Where are you going?”

“I need time to think. So I'm leaving for a couple days.”

“Where? To be with that man?”

“Rashad, you'll never be satisfied, especially after knowing the truth.”

“You fucked another dude? What he got that I don't have?”

“It doesn't matter now. Good-bye. Oh, I made you a plate of food and there's a glass of lemonade, too.”

“Huh? Are you trying to choke me? You hate me that much that you want me dead?”

She just shrugged and said nothing.

“Kiara, please, come downstairs so we can work this out. You're not the type to have an affair. You are my Super Woman.”

In the past, him calling her that would have made her swell with pride. But now?

She reached in her other pocket and tossed a handful of her secret bank account receipts.

“What's that?”

“Something the police will want to know when this is all over.”

“You don't look right and you don't sound like yourself. Did I do that to you?”

She stood at the top of the stairs and looked down.

“You had it all, but you threw it away to live a secret deceitful double life. You made a fool out of me, Rashad. Now you have a disgruntled woman who had an affair, a pregnant woman trying to get away from her husband . . .”

She closed her eyes and began to lean over the railing.

“No,” he screamed.

Right then, the screeching of tires sounded outside.

Someone shouted “Myles.”

Kiara opened her eyes. She recognized a neighbor's voice. She ran down the stairs. Rashad followed her out the door.

A tiny crowd gathered in the street in front of their house. Little Myles was sitting on the curb in a daze.

A car a couple yards ahead was idling with the driver side door opened. A man was crouched next to Myles asking him how he felt.

“He ran out of nowhere and dashed in front of my car. I could barely brake. I think I hit his foot but it appears he sustained no injuries,” the driver explained. “He's just a little shaken up.”

“My baby,” Kiara said. She ran over to Myles, examined his foot, and hugged him. Then she fussed. “You could have gotten killed. Then what would I have done? I told you to stay in the car but I can tell you're hardheaded.”

“Kiara, please,” Rashad told her. “Our son is alive. He's OK. That's all that matters. His wellbeing is all that really matters.”

As Kiara stood next to Myles it became crystal clear how crazy things had gotten. She would never want her child to die, and she thought about herself, she knew she wasn't ready to die either. Life was a gift. And she wanted to stop the madness, stop flirting with danger, and start being a responsible mother.

As the crowd dispersed, and the man who had almost injured his son drove off, Rashad felt sad in his heart.

“What are your plans?” he asked.

“I plan to take it easy. I'm thankful God intervened and nothing worse occurred.”

“Me too. So, if it's okay with you, may we please go back in the house and really sit down and have a heart-to-heart?”

“So much has happened.” Her voice sounded hoarse. “I just need a little getaway for now. Maybe we can have that talk one day, but I can't promise you anything right now. Take care, Rashad.”

She made sure that Rashad was far gone in his car and had completely left before she was able to lock it up and drive away . . . drive away from the house and everything she'd built up. The hopes and dreams that she knew she'd have to eventually release before she could really live again.

 

“H
ey, move that chest of drawers over there. And push that couch against that wall. Thank you, babe.”

Nicole observed the new bedroom with supreme satisfaction. The renovation work on the house felt good and looked picturesque. Since Rashad accepted her invitation to move in, he had stepped up to the plate. He ordered furniture for the room that they turned into a nursery. He came home every night at a decent hour. He allowed his work crew to do the late evening and weekend projects.

According to Nicole Greene, things were looking up and couldn't be better.

“I am about to put a load of clothes in the wash, so if you need something cleaned you should add your stuff to it. I'm starting with colors.”

“All right,” he said.

Being at Nicole's house in this capacity felt a bit odd. Her ceilings were much lower and looked nothing like the ones at Rashad's former house in Fresno. And she didn't have an oversize garden bathtub; at the other house, he'd had two of them. But for now, this was home.

She came and gave her man a tight hug from behind. After all this time, and well over two months of pregnancy, she still knew how to get him going. She pressed her lips against his neck and kissed him like he was the best she ever had.

“Now that's dope. Keep going.”

Pretty soon they were making love from the bedroom to the bathroom. Rashad knew Nicole would give him everything he needed during those life-changing days. She was his little ride or die and she was exactly what he needed to face what life had presented to him.

 

Alexis beamed with happiness. The tour boat cruised at a relaxing pace. She couldn't believe she and Varnell and Hayley were sitting together on a bench as they drifted along the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Her arms hung over the railing as she took in the sights of the outdoor restaurants and listened to the tour guide provide the rich history of this beautiful place.

Her child was smiling, her man was grinning, and she was elated to finally get her simple wish. Alexis finally felt like the woman she knew she was: a main chick. And she loved it.

 

Rashad and Nicole were adjusting to their relationship. She treated him like a king. He liked the attentiveness she gave him, but he still wondered about Kiara. What was she doing? Did she miss him like he missed her? He couldn't believe that she stuck to her rule of not letting him back into their house. Her shutting him down felt unreal, unfair, and it made him quite angry. Kiara Eason was his first love and he couldn't imagine any other man ever replacing him. Somehow, he'd have to get rid of her new corny dude and convince her that he alone was Kiara's true king. Somehow, he would try to get things back to the way they used to be.

 

It was a late October evening. Kiara, Myles, and Eddison were on foot, traveling in the dark from house to house on Eddison's quiet street. The wind was swirling and screaming but otherwise it was a pleasant night. Wearing a Spider-Man costume, Myles bounded up the walkway to the decorated doorway of a family that was handing out candy and treats.

“Thank you. Happy Halloween,” he said.

Kiara, clothed in a Super Woman outfit, smiled and snapped a photo of her son. All she cared about was him being happy and stable. At this point, stability and happiness were what she wanted, too.

“Thank God, the weather cooperated,” she told Eddison, who wore a red Superman cape.

He squeezed her hand. They walked together deep in their thoughts.

“So what about the next holiday?” Myles asked. “What are we doing for Thanksgiving?”

“I ask myself the same thing,” Eddison said. “It's been a heck of a year.”

“We're going to be thankful. And then we're going to get ready for the next holiday, and the one after that,” Kiara said firmly.

She sounded confident but she had no idea what life had in store for her. So she looked cheerful but she felt nervous. Maybe it was because Kiara didn't know that in the shadows of the darkness, her husband, Rashad, had his eyes on her and Eddison. He slowly followed them in his rented car, circling the block, like a shark waiting to draw blood.