More Lies and Alibis (Using Lies as Alibis #2) (9 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Sydney

I knew I shouldn’t have left my man at the hospital with Fatima.  I knew it!  I was almost expecting the text that I got from Jillian.  Every time I stop at a red light, I glance at it again, and get furious all over again!

You better get down here, Dr. Baker.  Dr. Graham and Dr. Jeffries just went into the on-call room.  The door is locked.

How could I have trusted her?  How could I have trusted him?  Is it my fault for not giving him some?  He clearly doesn’t deserve it.  Who knows?  He may have given me some kind of disease anyway with his nasty self.

I floor the gas pedal as the light changes.  Did he have to do it at the hospital, though?  It wasn’t bad enough to humiliate me on our college campus.  He has to
embarrass me at work too!

So many thoughts running through my head.  Why did I bring Jillian into this?  Now, I’m sure half the hospital knows that my boyfriend is a low down dirty cheater.  I mean, everyone knew about how he and Ming-Nah didn’t last, but now he’s got a new notch on his belt.  I hate him so much right now.

When I get to the hospital, I don’t even bother to park straight, or put on my coat.  It’s frigid outside, but my blood is on boil, so I’m gonna be all right.

I storm through the emergency room, ignoring all of the typical New Year’s Eve folk.  Jillian sees me, actually I think she was waiting for me, because she pounces as soon as I get to the hallway where the on-call room is.

“Dr. Baker, before you go in there, I want you to think long and hard about it.  Remember, you’re a professional.”

“Girl, if you don’t get your hands off of me, I’m going to hurt you.  For real.”

Jillian’s eyes widen at my threat and she promptly unhands me.  There is no way I’m not going in here and wrecking shop.  The last time I walked in on Lucas and Fatima I didn’t do anything.  This time, someone is going to feel my wrath. 

I take a deep breath, ball one of my fists and open the door to the on-call room with the other.
  I gasp at the sight.

Fatima and Lucas are not having sex.  As a matter of fact, Fatima is nowhere to be found.  Instead, Lucas is straddled across a bench wearing all white and holding a bouquet of flowers.  There lights are dimmed, but the room is brightened by about fifty candles that are lit all over the room. 

“You can close your mouth and come in,” Lucas says with a chuckle.  “Close the door behind you.”

“What is this?” I ask.

“What were you expecting?  You came in here ready for war.”

“Well…I thought…”

“You thought I was betraying you with Fatima didn’t you?”

I hold up my phone.  “I got a text…”

“You did.  I told Jillian to send it, after she informed me about her mission.”

That snitch!  Oh, I definitely owe her.  I owe her good.

“Don’t be mad at her,” Lucas says.  “I already had her assigned to another mission.  Who do you think helped me light all these candles?”

“It wasn’t Fatima?”

He laughs.  “No, baby.  Not her.  I don’t want anything from her but a professional relationship.  I don’t even want to be her friend.  I love you.”

I swallow as he rises from the bench and brings me the flowers.  “I love you too,” I say.

I feel so relieved that this isn’t what I thought it was, but I also feel completely horrible that I didn’t have faith in my man. 

I take the flowers from him and inhale.  My favorites.  He always remembers my favorite things.

Then, Lucas shocks me by getting down on one knee.  “What are you doing?” I ask.

He smiles, reaches in his pocket and pulls out a jewelry box.  “What do you think?”

I drop the flowers and cover my face with my hands.  Lucas is proposing to me. 

“I didn’t want to start another year without knowing that you’d be mine for every New Year, for the rest of our lives.”

I burst into tears as he puts the ring on my finger.  “Will you marry me?” Lucas asks.

I can’t speak for the crying, but I nod and nod! 

“That’s a yes?” Lucas asks.

I nod some more.  He stands to his feet and squeezes me in his arms.  I can’t believe I doubted this man.  Dionne is so wrong.  Once a cheater just means that he made a mistake once.  That’s all. 
I’m not going to make the mistake of not loving him forever. 

Starting.  Right.  Now.

Chapter Twenty

Camille

“Do you feel safe at home?”

I blink at the doctor’s question.  My face is swollen, painful and bloody.  One of my eyes is puffed so badly that I can’t see.  I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.  I think the answer to the question is obvious.

“No.  I don’t.”

“Do you have anywhere to go?”

I think about my sisters, and how I don’t want them to see me like this.  “No,” I whisper.

“I will send a social worker in here to give you some information on battered women’s shelters, but if I were you, I would try to make a connection with a family member or a friend.  It can sometimes take a bit of time to get into one of the better shelters.”

“Um…okay.”

“I’m going to release you, because we’ve treated you as best we can, but a police officer will be here shortly to take a statement from you.”

“A police officer?  I don’t want the police involved.”

The doctor sighs.  “Unfortunately, we have to contact law enforcement in the case of apparent domestic battery.  Have you looked in the mir
ror?  You need to press charges, and you don’t need to go home.”

“Wait.  I do have someone I can call.”

I reach for my purse on the nightstand.  I hope Dr. King doesn’t mind getting a call on New Year’s Eve.  I take out her card and flip it over in my hand.  I know that she’s going to make me think long and hard about this, and that’s exactly what I need.

***

Dr. King arrives at my bedside and she’s wearing dress clothes.  Church clothes to be exact.

“Did you leave Watch Night service, Dr. King?” I ask.

“Yes, and I’m glad I did.  What has happened to you?  Did Bryan do this?”

“Yes.  We got into an argument.  He was showing my home to a realtor, and I just lost it.”

“He lost it too, from the looks of things.”

I swallow and close my eyes.  I know it must be hard to hold a conversation with my face looking like this.  Dr. King is doing a good job of not letting on how grotesque I look, but I know, so it doesn’t matter.

“Have you told anyone besides me?” Dr. King asks.

“No.  Not even my sisters.  I don’t want them to see me like this.
”

For a long moment, Dr. King is quiet.  She sits down in the chair next to my bed.  She bows her head and whispers what I know to be a prayer.  I know, because I can feel the Holy Spirit in the atmosphere. 

When she’s done she looks up at me.  “Would you like to come and stay in my guest room for a while until you’re ready to see your family?”

“Is that allowed?  I mean, are you okay with that?”

She chuckles.  “Is it allowed where?  I have my own practice, and I make my own rules.  But right now, I feel God leading me to do this.  You need a safe place to begin your healing process.”

“I can’t stay with Bryan.  I know the Lord hates a divorcing, but I’m divorcing him.”

Dr. King nods.  “God knows exactly what you’re feeling right now.  I do believe that you won’t be able to address your other poor choices in that environment.  We’ve barely scratched the surface with your gambling.  But we will.”

Dr. King’s voice calms my spirit.  I believe every word she says.  Something about her just feels authentic and wise.  Maybe it’s the fact that she knows my flaws and my deepest secrets and she still sees a better me on the horizon.

I’m glad she does, because I am full of doubt.  Lord, Jesus.  Help my unbelief.

Epilogue

Dionne

Rod asked me to be here for the sentencing, and so at nine months pregnant, I am.  Not because I feel that he’s without fault.  I’m here because that’s what wives do.  They hold it down regardless of the circumstances. 

And the circumstances of Rod’s arrest are crazy.  He, as one of the owners of Club Hurricane was charged with Accessory to Murder over the death of a stripper that got butt shots on the club’s premises.  Rod was able to plead out to Reckless Endangerment – still a felony – because he was never onsite when any of the butt shots took place.  

Some ratchet stripper named Keke is doing twenty-five years to live for administering the shots and another woman got fifteen years for procuring the materials and accepting cash from the women.  Even though Peach was implicated as well, she got off because there was no evidence of the charges against her.

I listen to the judge read Rod’s sentence.  One year imprisonment with the chance of early release. 
Everyone is clapping like this is a great outcome.  Even my sisters are hugging me and squeezing my hand as if I am supposed to be happy about the father of my son going away right before he’s born.

Even if I decide to leave Rod, he should still be able to see all of our baby’s firsts.  He saw all of Rodeisha’s.  These strippers with their silicone body parts have intruded into my life.

Fortunately, I’ve got a lot of money at my disposal.  Rod’s accountant did a great job of separating his music income from whatever came from the club. 

As Rod’s wife, the money in our joint accounts is mine to do with as I please.  And what pleases me is to
go on a few shopping sprees and learn as much about Rod’s business as possible. 

Camille squeezes my hand, and whispers, “
Don’t look, but Bryan is here.”

Of course I look.  I scan the courtroom for that coward who put a serious beating on my sister.  I ought to call Pookie and ‘em right now.  He needs to be introduced to some of our Louisiana cousins for real.  Just thinking about how my sister looked when her therapist brought her to my house makes me want to beat him myself.  And her too for not telling us right away. 

I see Bryan’s ole raggedy self sitting in the back of the courtroom.  He looks a mess.  Camille said he got fired from his position at the church and works at a call center as a bill collector.  Even though Camille didn’t want to they had to put her house up for sale, but what she doesn’t know is that Sydney and I decided to buy it for her.  She should have her home.  And she can be on my payroll.  I’m going to need an assistant since Hailey and I are going full steam ahead on our party planning company.  We are going to work this thing and get our own millions.  We already have three production companies wanting to follow us around and create a reality show about our adventures. 

Sydney thinks
me starting a business is a crazy idea.  She thinks I should just go ahead and be a mom.  I wonder if she’s going to give up her career to be a wife and mom.  Um, yeah.  I don’t think so.  But at least Lucas is the real deal.  They’re doing one of those destination weddings in the Dominican Republic, and guess who’s doing the planning!  That’s right – moi!  I am so happy for my baby sister.  Shoot, one of us had to get it right in the love department.

And I’ve still got time.  After I get my pre-baby body back, maybe I’ll decide that I don’t want a man who I can’t trust – who has more secrets than revelations.  Maybe I’ll find a doctor too.  I’m smart enough, and I’m most definitely fine enough.  Even though I’m about to pop, I’m still
tremendously hot.  So is my big sister Camille.  We should find some doctor brothers, or broker brothers.  Or just any brothers that can handle what we’re bringing and have something to bring to the table themselves.

I rub my belly and stare forward at Rod.  He looks back at me and give me a weak smile.  I give him one back.  The moment would be
tenderer if Peach wasn’t sitting in the courtroom too, crying like a grieving widow.  She and Rodeisha are wearing “Free Rod Knight” t-shirts looking just like they drove here from the projects and not an exclusive neighborhood. 

And
as always, Makenzie Bryant from trueblackgossip.com is here with her laptop capturing every moment, every tear and every emotion.  I’m sure there will be another
Does Dionne Knight Know About This
blog post. 

And this time, I can say that I
do
know about this.  I know about every one of Rod’s lies and every single last alibi.  But it doesn’t even matter anymore, because I’ve got plans.  My baby and I are going to be A-list on
my
merit.  And no stripper or cheating husband will be able to take it away from me.

The End

To hear about all of my upcoming releases Like my Author Tiffany L. Warren page on Facebook! 

Also by Tiffany L. Warren

Wolf in Minister’s Clothing

What a Sista Should Do

Don’t Tell a Soul

(
These three books are a series)

Farther than I Meant to Go, Longer than I Meant to Stay

The Bishop’s Daughter

In the Midst of It All

The Replacement Wife

Chocolate Dreams

A Slim Chance (novella)

Using Lies as Alibis Series

Lies and Alibis – Book 1