A Heart Full of Lies (5 page)

              Jeanette stood and headed to the cabinet with the liquor in it and opened it. Staring at the bottle she reached for it. She unscrewed the top and put the bottle to her chest. She spoke out loud. “It’s going to get better Nette, it is.” She took a deep breath and slowly drank out the bottle.

Chapter Four: Complicated

              Sasha sat at her new desk, fixing it up to her liking. It was her second day at Gladstone Publishing, and she was ready to begin her work load. Gladstone was a local publishing company that had just relocated, and Sasha had been hired on as the company’s secretary. She was excited about the opportunity and thanked God she would be sitting most of the time. Sasha started up her computer and turned on her phone.

              “You must be Sasha.”

              Sasha looked up at a very handsome caucasian man. His dark green eyes pierced through her body. “Yes, and you are?”

              “Michael Gladstone.” He extended his hand for a handshake.

              Sasha stood, smoothing out her skirt, grinning, “Nice to finally meet you Mr. Gladstone.” She took his hand into hers.

              He shook her hand softly. “Call me Michael, Mr. Gladstone is my father.” He gripped her hand a little tighter.

              She shyly took her hand back. “Ok, Michael.”

              Michael’s phone started ringing, “Hello?” He put his hand over the speaker, “Excuse me.”

              Sasha waved. “I understand, business right?”

              He smiled back. “Right.”

              Two hours later, Sasha began grabbing her purse and umbrella ready to take a quick fifteen minute break. It hadn’t really been a hectic day, and besides an occasional phone call and miscellaneous errands for Michael, her day had been smooth sailing.

              “You leaving?” Michael startled her.

              She grabbed her chest. “Yes, I was going to take a quick break, you need anything?”

              Michael eyed her. “Go ahead and take an early lunch. It’s been pretty slow today, we should be fine.”

              Sasha smiled gratefully. “Thank you Michael.”

              He inched toward her and looked her over. “You’re welcome Sasha.”

              Sasha took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She took in the smell of his cologne and the minty freshness of his breath. “Um, ok. I’ll let you know when, I um… when I get back.”

              Michael smirked and fixed his tie. “I’ll be waiting.”

              Sasha pulled up to The Cheesecake Factory and parked her car. She looked in the mirror at her reflection and fixed her hair. She gently laid her head back on her headrest, closed her eyes, imagining Michael standing in front of her, so close. His dark green eyes were inviting her to play, daring her to make a move. She sighed and opened her legs rubbing two fingers across her opening. She stopped abruptly realizing what she was doing.

              When her phone started ringing, she answered it hurriedly. “Hello.”

              “Baby where are you? I’ve been waiting for almost twenty minutes, you close?” Shawn sounded concerned.

              “I’m walking in now, my boss held me up.”

              Erin kicked her shoes off at the door and laid across her plush sectional couch. Turning on her television she flipped through the channels quickly. Deciding to just go to bed she turned the television off. It had been a long day, as a matter of fact, too long. She grabbed her purse and her phone and headed upstairs. Dialing Sasha, she sat on the edge of the bed and patiently waited for her to answer the phone.

              “Yea.” Sasha said with an attitude.

              Erin rolled her eyes. “What’s up with the attitude.”

              “Girl, don’t get me started, it’s been a long day. I’m still getting used to this eight hour shift thing. What’s up?”

              Erin stood to run a bubble bath. “For you too? I almost quit today. I swear being a woman in my line of work feels nearly impossible somedays.”

              Sasha sighed. “I already told you how I felt about you working down there. It’s too risky E.”

              Erin stood in the mirror looking at her reflection. “You sound like my mama.”

              “Erin think-“

              Erin switched the subject. “How was your first real day?” She heard Sasha fumbling with her phone.

              Sasha nearly whispered. “Erin, bitch my boss is fine.”

              Erin laughed. “Fine like-“

              “Like, he gives me chills when I’m standing next to him.” Sasha sounded like she was hyperventilating.

              “Oh, damn.”

              “Yea, it’s like that.”

              “Has he made a pass at you or something?”

              “No, but it’s how he looks at me. Lord, he looks at me like he undressing me with his eyes.” Sasha bit her bottom lip as she thought about the way his green eyes traced her body.

              Erin turned the water off and sat on the edge of the tub. “You think it’s a good idea you work with him then? Sounds like you’re playing with fire.”

              She heard Sasha huff. “I don’t know what I’ma do honestly. I’m just going to see how tomorrow goes.”

              Erin smirked. “Don’t set yourself up Sash, Shawn would try to kill your ass.”

              “Shawn better be happy I still sleep in the same bed with his cheating ass.”

              Erin rolled her eyes again. “Sasha I already told you my thoughts on that.”

              Sasha mumbled. “Yea, yea. You talk to TreVell?”

              Erin grimaced. “Why would I talk to him?”

              “I was just wondering.”

              “No need to wonder, I changed my number for a reason.” The last thing Erin had thoughts about was TreVell. They hadn’t spoken since he packed all his shit, walked out the front door, and drove off.

              Sasha heard the hurt in her voice. “I didn’t mean to strike a nerve.”

              Erin’s line began clicking. “Sash, I’ll hit you up tomorrow.”

              Sasha sounded disappointed. “Ok, don’t be mad.”

              “I promise I’m not.” She clicked over, “Hello?”

              Tone’s husky voice spoke. “Sup beautiful.”

              Erin let her hair down and combed through it. “Hey.”

              “How was work?” he asked.

              She shrugged her shoulders as if he could see. “Work was work; a bunch of bullshit and paperwork, the usual work load.”

              “You sound stressed ma.”

              Erin laughed. “You sound like you care.”

              Tone grinned. “I might.”

              Erin rolled her eyes. “You don’t.” She put the phone on speaker, sat the phone on the stand, and began undressing.

              “Why are you trying to make me out to be the bad guy Erin? You should know better than anybody else, I’m innocent until proven guilty.”

              She smiled and eased into the tub. “You got jokes, I see.”

              “No, facts.”

              She dried her hands and grabbed the phone. “Santonio, what do you want?”

              “To cook you breakfast.”

              Erin laughed again. “What?”

              Tone repeated himself. “I wanna cook you breakfast.”

              Erin shook her head. “I told you I don’t eat breakfast.”

              Tone didn’t back down. “Then let me cook you dinner.”

              “Tone-“

              “Yes Erin?”

              She sighed. “Can I call you back?”

              Tone chuckled. “Yea, just hit me up later.”

              Hanging up the phone she took a deep breath and let the warm water consume her.

              Skyy glanced at the clock on the wall for what seemed like the 100
th
time. She’d now been waiting on Deidra for almost two hours. Skyy had called her and had sent more than a couple of texts. She’d put her three year old daughter Skylar to bed a while ago, and had waited patiently on Deidra’s company. But now irritation was starting to slowly take over.

              Skyy didn’t want to seem like a stalker and she damn sure didn’t want Deidra thinking she was on pins and needles waiting for her arrival; even though she was anxious to see her. Things between them had been getting serious, and no matter how hard Skyy tried to shake it, she couldn’t help but find herself falling in love. Just as she was about to go to bed, she heard the locks on the front door pop.

              In walked Deidra, Skyy frowned. “I’ve been calling you.”

              Deidra shut the door and locked it. “I know, I was handling some business, when I could finally call you back I was already on my way.”

              Skyy scrunched her nose up. “You were handling business for two hours?”

              Deidra ignored her and sat down on the couch. Skyy stood in front of her. “Hello, are you deaf!?”

              Deidra took off her shoes and turned the television on. “Why are you yelling, can you get out my face please.”

              Skyy damn near punched her. “Are you serious? All I did was ask a simple question. You been acting all weird lately, I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on. I don’t do that cheating shit, let me find out I’ma knock yo’ ass out.”

              Deidra looked up at her. “Get out my face!”

              Skyy wouldn’t let up. “Where you been?”

              “With Tone.”

              Skyy didn’t believe her. “All day?”

              “Yes.” Deidra sighed agitated. “Anything else?”

              “Let me see your phone.”

              Deidra laughed. “You’re playing right?”

              Skyy sucked her teeth. “Do it look like I’m playing?” When Deidra didn’t give her the phone she inched closer to her. “You hiding something in your phone?”

              Deidra turned the television off. “No, but I’m not giving you my phone. Deal with it. You don’t put fear in nobody’s heart, so all this tough shit you doing I suggest you chill the fuck out.”

              “Yea, you’re hiding something. If you gone be sneaky we don’t have to be together, don’t waste my time.” Skyy made her way to her room.

              Deidra yelled after her. “You let me know what you want to do!”

              Skyy eased her way back into the living room. “I know you better quit yelling while my daughter is sleep. I want to be with you. I’m stepping out of my element. I’ve never been in a relationship with a woman. This is new for me, and I’m bending over backwards for your ungrateful ass.”

              Deidra scoffed. “You bending over backwards for who? Who, besides your friends, who else knows about us? Your family? Shit, does your mom know?” Skyy didn’t reply so Deidra continued. “You can’t even admit you’re a lesbian Skyy come on. How you try to call me out on bullshit, and that’s what you on? You don’t want to hold hands, kiss, nor hug in public. So save the antics.”

              Skyy put her hands on her hips. “I need to be comfortable before I-“

              Deidra stood up. “Comfortable? Yea ok. You’re comfortable when I’m face deep in the pussy though. Comfortable when I’m buying you and Skylar shit, and helping you furnish this bitch.” She waved her hands around. “You want your cake and to eat it too, but then got the nerve to be whining because I didn’t jump when you called me.” She picked her jacket up.

              Skyy wiped tears from her eyes. “You’re making it seem like I’m ashamed of you, and I’m not.”

              Deidra yelled in her face. “Are you!”

              She shook her head. “Baby no. It’s just complicated.”

              Deidra began putting her jacket on. “Well call me when you figure it out.”

              Skyy followed her to the front door. “Really, so it’s like that?”

              Deidra opened the door and took a step outside. “I’ll talk to you later on.”

              Sasha had been working at Gladstone Publishing for nearly three weeks now. She enjoyed the freedom from being at home. Sasha hated how she let herself become a housewife to a man that wasn’t even her husband. Now that same man had a baby with somebody else. She chose to take him back because of the history they shared. Shawn was her everything, he’d never cheated, nor lied. He was an excellent provider and a gentle lover. They’d prayed and cried together, and they were both sure they could weather this massive storm.

              Michael interrupted her thoughts. “You ok?”

              She began messing with the papers on her desk. “Um, yes. Just straightening up, your father called and he said to be expecting him at 4:30.”