Let Me Just Say This (15 page)

The meeting was over and Kevin was nervous.

“How do y'all think the meeting went?” He asked them while they walked to the bar.

“Man, why you sweating. You ain't got nuttin to worry about. They want in, and they want in bad. They were trying to be cool, but did you see their eyes when Rebecca gave them the numbers for the past three years?”

The excitement was contagious. Rebecca, Black, and Kevin were all smiles, when Kevin's cell phone started ringing. He excused himself and walked towards the bank of elevators. He pressed the up arrow and his face was tight. As he stepped off the elevator, he dialed Cheryl's
number again. She had some fucking nerve, calling her parents and getting them all worried. Telling them she was going out to dinner and they could hear she was drunk, and now no one has heard from her. He dialed Dee's number.

“Where your girl at?” He demanded into the phone.

“How should I know?” She answered.

“Look, she tells your ass every fucking thing.”

“Look, you might talk to her that way, but I ain't your damn wife.” The sound he heard next was the dial tone.

“Fuck!” he shouted, as he approached his room, causing another couple in the hallway to turn around. He was so angry he couldn't get his keycard to work in his door. By the time he finally got into his room, he threw a glass against the wall. He dialed her phone again and this time she answered.

“Where the fuck are you?” he screamed into the phone.

“Dinner.”

“So you couldn't call anybody and let them know that? You got your poor mother worried sick about you.”

“Why are you checking up on me?”

“I wasn't checking up on you, I wanted to see what the kids were up to. When you didn't answer your phone, I called your mom who told me that you dropped them off.”

Cheryl answered, “I told them I would be out, and if they needed me to call me on my cell.”

“Is this thing on? Did you hear me say I was calling you and so were they?”

“Well, I didn't hear my phone.”

“Well, they have been, just like I have, and your fucking ass wasn't picking up. Didn't I tell you not to go out in public drunk?”

“You are such a piece of work Kevin. I swear. I am a big girl and if I choose to have some fucking wine, I don't need to call you nor my parents to ask permission. Besides, if it was an emergency, I would have called them back.”

“Don't give me no fucking attitude. I can't deal with your ass here so you better watch yourself. You better not be
driving.”

“No, I am not driving.”

“So how the fuck did you get out?” he demanded.

“Why do you care, remember; you aren't here. Oh, let me guess your little girlfriend not there with you? Hmm?”

“Don't get cute! I ain't in the mood for your bullshit!”

“I am not in the mood either.''

“I'll deal with this when I get …” he started to say but the phone was already dead.

“Is everything ok?” Matthew asked.

“Fine, but I've lost my appetite. Can we go?” She asked while pushing her chair back and standing.

“If that is what you want.” He said and motioned for the waiter. He laid some money on the table and guided her back through the restaurant.

The limo was waiting for them at the curb. She got in and he got in beside her.

As they rode, she turned and smiled at him. She leaned over and kissed him.

“I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have done that. Can you take me home?” she moved to the seat across from him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

They rode in silence. The car stopped and she didn't wait for the driver to get to the door, she was out and walking towards her front door with her keys in her hand.

“You forgot these.” He said as he came up behind her and handed her the roses.

“Thank you.” She said as she took them and unlocked the door.

“I had a nice time tonight. Maybe next time we will actually get food.” He smiled and kissed her on the cheek and turned and walked back towards the limo. She leaned against the door.

She smiled back and held the flowers to her nose. She unlocked her door and watched as he walked away. She turned on the lights and saw the first dozen roses sitting
there. She put the second bunch of roses in the vase that used to have Kevin's in it. She carried them upstairs and saw that there were some messages.

“Message one”

“Girl, Kevin just called and is freaking out. Call me when you get this.”

“Message two: you better call me as soon as you get in the house.”

She pressed the number seven. “Message Deleted.”

“Next Message.”

“Cheryl, it's your mother, we are concerned about you. Have you been drinking?”

“Message four: Cheryl, where are you? This is your husband. You better call me when you get this message.”

She pressed number seven.

“Message deleted, next message.”

Again she pressed number seven

“Cheryl I had a nice time. I love the way you smile, don't ever let someone take that. Have a nice night.”

She pressed the number seven but not before listening to it again.

She called her mom first and had to listen to the lecture about the dangers of drinking and driving and told her a lie that Kevin was on the other end so she could get her off of the phone. She hung up from her and called Dee who had millions of questions that she dodged or just didn't answer.

“Now that the world is taken care of, I can make that last call.” She said as she dialed the hotel

“What did you want?” she asked as soon as he picked up the phone

“Are you home?” he asked her in return.

“I'm calling on the house phone aren't I?” she said.

“I'm the one who should be asking the fucking questions here!” he yelled.

“Well, anyway, I was just calling you back since I HAD to call you when I got in.”

“I told you go have some fun, not go out and get fucking
drunk. You are such an embarrassment that I don't know what to do with you.”

“You don't have to do a thing with me.” She shot back.

“Oh, you have a smart mouth when I'm not around. Well let's see if you have that same mouth when I get back?”

“Whatever. Is this what you wanted?” she asked.

“Don't get cute.” He shouted back “You acting all shady and shit and now you call me with fucking attitude.”

“Whatever. I'm tired of talking. I am ready for bed.”

“I don't give a fuck if you are tired, you gonna listen to what the fuck I have to say! I bust my ass for you and you don't appreciate shit.”

“Whatever, did you and my mom come up with that line? I have busted my ass for you and this marriage and I get kicked in the teeth for it. I guess the girlfriend is the only one who understands you, huh?”

“Let me tell you one fucking thing, she is twice the woman you will ever be. She appreciates the small shit I do for her and don't complain either. I was going to wait until I came back to tell you this, but I want a divorce and I am moving out as soon as I get back!”

“What…what…wait.” She stammered into the phone. “Kevin, you don't mean that. You would never leave me would you? I mean, I know we have our problems. We can work this out, I know we can.”

“So now you aren't so tired, are you? Bitch you are a piece of work you know that?”

“I'm just tired, that's all. It has been a long day and…”

“Shut the hell up! Now you want to fucking explain. You better be glad I'm not there. Just remember what I said, this marriage is over. I need a real woman and you are not it!”

She stood in the middle of her bedroom. She heard the annoying sound coming from the phone but she couldn't grasp what had just happened. She had to make this right, somehow.

Kevin slammed the phone down and let the curse words fly. He had just about enough of her smart mouth and as soon as he got home he would deal with that. Then he would make sure his daughter was taken care of and then leave her.

He called Cory and told him he would be turning in for the evening. He had a lot of thinking to do.

He decided to get the ball rolling on one of his plans. He called Rebecca to his room.

Rebecca arrived and his eyes couldn't help but stare at how pretty she was. She was everything that Cheryl was not.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“Uh, Cheryl and I just had a big blowup and I told her I wanted a divorce.”

“Whoa. Are things that bad?”

“Not only are they that bad but sometimes she pushes me so far that I forgot myself and I do things I don't want to.”

“Like what, things exactly have you done?” she said as she sat down in the chair facing the bed.

He sat in the chair at the desk and leaned forward, with his elbows resting on his thighs and his head in his hands.

“Look, I've done some things while I have been married to her that I am not proud of but I don't…” he stopped and looked at her when she grabbed his hands.

“Well, you brought it up. I am only trying to help or listen or be whatever you need me to be right now. You look like you have a lot on your mind. I just want to ease some of that. Today was a great day and I don't want anything spoiling it.” She said as she pulled his hands down from his face.

“I'm not proud but sometimes Cheryl pushes me to the point that I grab her and have to shake her a little; you know, nothing hard or anything, but you know just hard enough to make her stop talking. She has this habit of nagging and it gets on my nerves.”

She pulled herself up with his hands and hugged him tightly. “Tell me what you want. I will be there for you, no matter what. Ok. A man in your position shouldn't have to worry about his wife stressing him out and not being in his corner. Please know that I am always in your corner.”

He hugged her tightly; breathing in the smell of her shampoo and letting the feeling of security wash over him like a hot shower.

“Thank you.” He said into her shoulder, “I knew I could count on you.”

“Now, tomorrow when we sign that contract that will be a big day for us. So I think we need to get some rest.” She said as she pulled away from him.

“You want to stay here tonight?”

“Now you know I want to but what is our rule?”

“Hey I know. When it is time for business it's time for business.”

“Exactly, I will say this; tomorrow night, we will have our own celebration. Deal?” She kissed the side of his neck and let her teeth nip at his ear.

He let her go after a prolonged kiss and made another call to his lawyer. He wasn't sure of many things but he was sure that he wanted her to be a partner along with Corey He knew Corey wouldn't go along with his idea, but he would need to deal with Corey's reaction tomorrow. Right now he wasn't going to let anyone or anything ruin his good mood.

Kevin had come home from his business trip flying higher than a kite. The business was expanding and the new investors were building an office in Atlanta. They deplaned and headed to baggage claim. Corey was already on his phone with Ashley and planning his evening with her. Kevin and Rebecca walked hand in hand to retrieve their bags.

As they neared the carousal, Kevin spotted his first and lifted it off.

“Rebecca,” he said as he turned to her, “I know that this hasn't been the most romantic trip we could have taken but I want so much more with you.” he said just as he turned back to pull her first bag from the carousal.

“This wasn't meant to be romantic. This was for us to push our company to another level.”

“You're right but I wanted to spend some time alone with you, and I never get the chance to do that. I want you to know that I do love you…”

“I know.” She interrupted.

Kevin rolled his eyes because that was the one thing that he hated about her. “Let me finish before you start being rude.”

She smiled at him and let him finish.

“Like I was saying, I just want you to know that I do look at this like our company and I want you to feel that it is your company too.”

“Not to interrupt you but my other bags just went around.” She said as she pointed to the bags disappearing behind the wall and walked over to the furthest end of the carousel.

He followed her and as she pulled one of her bags from the belt, he grabbed the other.

She sat her bag down and wrapped her arms around him before she spoke.

“Honey, I know that you love me and whatever our lives hold, you know I will always be there with you. I took this ring to show you just how serious I am about you.”

He hugged her tightly and let the moment take the stress from his shoulders. He knew at this moment that he wanted her to be a part of his everyday life. Kevin knew that Corey didn't like the idea and refused to talk about it in Atlanta. Kevin knew it would be a fight with Corey, who felt he was moving too fast but he wanted Rebecca to know he was serious so he presented her with a two carat pear shaped diamond, as his promise that in less than a year she would be picking out her engagement ring.

He came home and noticed the yellow roses on the counter. He didn't tell them two dozen.

“She don't deserve that much,” he said to the air around him.

Cheryl wasn't home, but he could care less. He didn't feel like dealing with her bullshit just yet. Although he had just left Rebecca, he had to hear her voice. He went to his office and called her.

“Hey sexy.”

“Hey yourself.”

“Miss you.

“Miss you more.”

“Love you.”

“Love you more.

“You know, we can't have an entire conversation like this.”

“Yes we can.”

“I want to hear that sexy voice of yours.”