Insatiable Revenge

by Cynthia Freeman Gibbs

  “No. I haven’t seen him at this location or the other one,”

  Savvy whispered.

  “Did you see the tag on his racquet?” Olivia replied. “I think he stalked us.”

  “He knows we play racquetball since I included our interest in various sports on the Melanindoubledate.com profile,” Savvy suggested. “I suppose he guessed where we work out since I posted a picture on the website of us playing. The name of the gym is visible in the photo. I may have had a caption about it being Sunday afternoon fun or something like that.”

  “How would he know what time we would be here?” Olivia asked with suspicion.

  “It has to be a total coincidence.”

  “Unless he checked our court time on the schedule. He probably asked for it and signed up for the slot after ours on purpose,” Olivia surmised. “I don’t know, Savvy. He seems creepy to me. Something about him is different. Maybe it’s the glasses.”

  “Why do you have to call him creepy? He’s nerdy and there’s nothing wrong with him. He seemed cool after you left the wine bar. Quite an intelligent man. From talking with him, Durbin takes pride in his work.”

  “I don’t doubt his expertise.”

  “He’s fine Olivia. Stop being mean to him.”

  “I’m not being mean. I sent him a text to set up a time for him to show me the home camera security system. I considered getting them after someone left another crazy note on my door about being a psycho mom again. I forgot to tell you.”

  “Olivia. I can’t believe you didn’t let me know,” Savvy exclaimed. “You have to tell the police. What if something happens to you?”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me. I don’t want to draw extra attention to myself,” Olivia whined. “I wish my life would get back to normal.”

  “Well, see what Durbin will do for you. Cameras will help you identify the culprit.”

  “I might cancel my appointment with him. I don’t think I want Durbin knowing where I live.”

  “Girl. You are trippin’. You talk about me watching crime shows. See how you’re acting? The man is promoting his business. You’ll feel safer having the cameras. Besides, Zoriyah said he did a great job for them. Don’t cancel on him.”

  “Okay. Fine. He better not hit on me though,” Olivia warned.

  “If he does, sic big ole’ Malcolm on his behind.” Savvy slapped hands with Olivia in a high-five before getting in their cars to leave.

  Olivia lowered her window. “Savvy, thanks for listening to my craziness today.”

  “Any time. That’s what best friends do for each other. Now, stop being on ‘Team Ratchet’ and get on ‘Team Righteous’. I’ll see you later.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  Olivia

  Despite Olivia’s determination to not think about Malcolm, she spent two restless nights tossing and turning in bed. Replays of their lovemaking saturated her dreams from which she woke in a sweat.

  To clear her head, she decided to go for a run on the trails at Eisenhower Park and climb the hill to the Observation Tower. The morning sun hinted at rising above the scenic park. A handful of solo runners and a group of bikers made their way to explore their chosen pathways.

  She inserted her earbuds and selected a running playlist on a portable music player. Beyoncé’s song, Run the World, jolted her into punching around like boxing legend, Sugar Ray Leonard. After putting on sunglasses, she ran to the base of a hill to shake thoughts of the past weekend’s adventure.

  She hadn’t talked to Malcolm since Sunday morning. Olivia fought the urge to call and figured it would be best to wait for him to make the next move.

  The constant rhythm of her feet as they pounded along the trail, provided much-needed comfort. Questions about whether she still loved Malcolm swirled in her head and consumed every thought. She analyzed if she could trust him enough to become a family again.

  Olivia raised her hand to wave at a group of women wearing pink Black Girls Run! headbands and running gear.

  She knew in her heart, finding forgiveness for Malcolm would be a journey for life. She pondered whether he’d become a changed man or remained the cheating, lying, unreliable person he proved himself to be a year ago.

  A deeper question Olivia considered had to do with whether her transformation and transparency with herself resulted in being a better person. The possibility that her insecurities may have driven Malcolm into the arms of other women, plagued her mind.

  Olivia rounded through the trail and leaned forward to work her way along the incline. The physical strength of her legs from climbing challenging peaks assured her of her mental ability to overcome daily obstacles. At least she accomplished something this morning to stay motivated.

  Once she made it to the top of the hill and climbed the Observation Tower, Olivia stood to catch her breath and watch the completion of the sunrise. She whispered a prayer in awe of the majestic beauty she viewed.

  Olivia wiped the sweat from her brow with the tail of her shirt before beginning a fast trot to return to the bottom of the hill. Based on the information in her smartwatch, her speed showed an improvement since her last run.

  Out of breath, Olivia stretched and cooled down before getting into the car. A missed call from Durbin showed on the cellphone. She huffed and contemplated if she wanted to have a conversation with him this early in the morning.

  Olivia tapped her screen to return his call.

  Durbin answered after one ring. “Hello, Olivia?”

  “Hi, Durbin. Yes, it’s me. I had a missed call from you.”

  “Yeah. Um. Sorry to call this early. I know we weren’t scheduled until later in the week for me to stop by with the security cameras. I have time today if you’re available,” Durbin offered.

  Olivia paused before responding. She tossed around in her head the idea of canceling the appointment. “Today is fine. I’m finished with my run and heading to the house to shower. Why don’t you come by around ten?”

  Durbin responded with surprise. “Oh. Good. Ten works for me, too.”

  “Okay, cool. I’ll text you my address once I get to the house,” Olivia said.

  “Alright. I’ll see you soon. Thanks, Olivia.” Durbin ended the call.

  Olivia arrived at her home and drove into the garage. She hoped Durbin wouldn’t be a nuisance. The last thing she needed was more drama in her life.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Olivia

  Olivia held her nose after peeling her sweaty clothes off and dropping them into the bathroom’s hamper. After texting Durbin her address, she rushed to shower to be ready for his visit.

  Olivia stuck her head and arms through the openings of a purple shirt before tugging on a pair of jeans. Fluffing her hair gave it a styled appearance. She slid on a comfortable pair of sneakers. A couple of light sprays of her favorite perfume finished her preparation.

  She sauntered through the hall from the bedroom to the kitchen. A variety of organic fruits and vegetables from the refrigerator were perfect for blending into a smoothie.

  Positioning herself on a barstool at the breakfast nook, she grabbed her phone and sent a text message to Savvy.

  Durbin is on his way to discuss home security cameras. I’ll let you know what I think.

  The doorbell chimed and she jumped from the barstool.

  She checked the time on the phone and headed to the entryway.

  When she opened the door, her eyes traveled upward to gaze at Durbin. His afro seemed to have grown since seeing him at the gym. She restrained herself from offering a dollop of Afro-Sheen to help with the dry, brittle appearance of his hair.

  He appeared neat in a button-down khaki shirt, which bore a red patch with the name of his company, The Wright Home Security, written in white cursive letters. Tucked beneath his arm, he held a black binder and laptop. The oversized, square-shaped glasses covering otherwise nice eyes, creeped Olivia out for some reason.

  “I see you’re
on time. It’s ten o’clock on the dot. Professionalism and timeliness go a long way with me,” Olivia said.

  “That’s the way I work. People don’t have all day to wait for someone to show up.” Durbin responded with a smile and raised the center of his glasses higher on his nose.

  “Amen. Come on in.” Olivia ushered Durbin into the kitchen after closing the door.

  “Nice home. How long have you been living here?” Durbin stood with his hands on his hips surveying the house.

  Olivia’s transformation of the forty-nine-year-old house into a home made her proud. Colorful, eclectic, unique décor replaced the furniture she’d lost in the fire. “Not quite six months. I love this community. There are a lot of single professionals with kids in this area. This location is close to my favorite spots on foot, for the most part.”

  “Yeah. I see you have great access to the Riverwalk.”

  “Exactly.” Olivia waved her hand to the kitchen table. “Please have a seat.” Durbin settled into a chair.

  “Thank you.”

  “Would you like a smoothie, or juice, or a cup of coffee?”

  “No. I’m good. I have a thirty-two-ounce mug of coffee in my truck.”

  “Thirty-two-ounces of coffee? Are you kidding me? How do you sleep at night?”

  “Forty winks are about all I need to be well-rested. Pretty much a night owl.”

  “I guess you are. There’s no way you sleep after drinking the amount of coffee you do. My whole face would twitch all day.” Olivia chuckled. “Sorry, I flipped into Mama mode on you. You’re a grown man who makes your own decisions.”

  Durbin laughed. “I have to admit you’re correct. You remind me of my doctor and mother. I’m weaning off, believe it or not. This is an improvement.”

  “Oh my.” Olivia dramatically clutched her chest. “I believe I’m talking to a human time bomb.”

  Durbin chortled and ran a hand through his afro. It made his hair crooked on one side. “That’s a good way to describe me.”

  “By the way, what a coincidence seeing you at the gym the other day.” Olivia grabbed a chair to sit across from Durbin. “How long have you been playing racquetball?”

  Durbin shifted in his seat. “Uh. I started playing recently. I’m not good at it yet.” He scratched his neck and cleared his throat. “I play a lot of sports, but hadn’t tried racquetball.”

  “Un-huh. I see.” Olivia suspected he had to have known she and Savvy were going to be on the court. “What did you think?”

  “Um. I did well, considering I didn’t have anyone to play against.” Durbin dropped his gaze before appearing to conjure up extra confidence. He made eye contact with her and a half-smile formed on his lips. “How about giving me a few pointers and we can play sometime?”

  Olivia realized she talked herself right into a dating trap. She leaned back and drummed fingers on the table. “You know, I’ve been playing for about five years now. I’m not a great teacher for new players. My patience runs thin on the court. I’ll refer you to a few people who play at your level and see if they’ll assist. You might want to sign up for the free racquetball clinics they hold at the gym as well.” Olivia knew she sounded condescending. She hoped he would catch the hint and not persist in asking her to play.

  “Oh. Yeah.” He chuckled. “Good idea. I wouldn’t want to slow down your game or anything.”

  “Sorry to get us off course. I’m sure we both have a lot going on today. Tell me about this home camera security system you have.”

  Durbin seemed to shake off any discomfort he may have had. He whipped out the binder he carried in. “Sure. As I mentioned previously, I create, develop, install, and monitor the system. It’s a one-stop-shop. I’ll review the various components with you. We’ll determine what will best fit your needs.”

  Olivia followed Durbin’s show and tell in the binder. “Wow. You have everything covered. Are we talking something with an expensive price tag? I don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on it. This is, after all, a rental property.”

  “Not at all. Let me know how many cameras and where you want them. I’ll install motion detector lights as well. Those will be a deterrent to anyone who comes onto your property.

  Even with your house being a rental, you’ll be able to transport the cameras with you when you move at some point.”

  “I’m glad they are transferable. I like your idea about the motion detector lights. I guess they will also help illuminate the face of anyone on camera better, too.”

  “Exactly. The cameras I provide are not grainy and the distance captured is outstanding.”

  “Based on what you see, how many cameras do you think I need?”

  “I recommend one above your front door and back door for sure. I’d like to suggest you put additional cameras above a blind spot on the side of your house. At the minimum, three cameras.”

  Olivia raised her left eyebrow in surprise. “A blind spot?”

  “I peeped it out when I drove up.”

  “Well, since it’s obvious, you better put one there for sure.”

  “Most definitely. Do you want cameras installed inside as well?”

  “Not at all. I don’t want you watching everything going on inside my house.”

  “Understood. It wouldn’t be monitored by me unless you want it to be.”

  “I’ll buy three cameras for the areas outside.” Olivia decided. “When will you do the installation?”

  “I’ll put them in today. I need to go into your attic. I’ll wire it in a way you won’t have to worry about anyone cutting wires on the outside.”

  “Makes sense to me. I like your way of thinking.

  “I will need to install an application on your computer. Do you have a desktop?”

  “I have one in my bedroom. I fell in love with this quaint house and sacrificed having another space for a home office. I

  didn’t want the computer in the living room since it didn’t fit in with my décor.”

  “I see. If you turn it on, I’ll load the necessary applications. I’ll go to the truck to get the equipment and start working. It should only be a couple of hours for me to finish.” Durbin stood from the table and stretched his tall frame well above Olivia.

  “Thank you, Durbin. I’ll show you the attic when you come back.” Olivia escorted him to the front door.

  Once he returned, Olivia showed him where to go. She heard him clomping around above the ceiling as he worked. He traveled outdoors and back inside several times. She turned on the desktop for Durbin to access when needed.

  While Durbin worked on the installation, Olivia busied herself on the laptop at the kitchen table. She wasn’t sure when she could return to work in her clinics as a psychologist again. She determined writing a blog to address various topics, would be the best way to communicate about mental health with the community.

  Due to her past struggles with bulimia, she kicked off the blog with a series on eating disorders. Olivia recalled the limited amount of information available about Black women who have dealt with the same challenges she had. She wanted to make sure other women could easily find the resources they needed to fight their condition. Now, with Simone’s issues with cutting, she considered including self-harm as a topic as well.

  Durbin popped his head into the room. “I wanted to let you know it may get noisy in the attic. I’m about to use a drill. I hope it won’t disturb you.”

  “No problem. Thanks for letting me know.” Olivia kept her eyes on the laptop.

  Durbin pointed to a photo of her with the kids on the Riverwalk. “By the way, great picture. Your skin is beautiful and you look like you are glowing.”

  Olivia raised her chin toward Durbin and twisted her face in confusion. “My skin? It’s shiny from sweating in the sun.”

  “Not at all. You have such a pretty, chocolate brown color. Did you get it from your mother or your father?”

  “Ha. I don’t look l
ike anyone in my family. I’m the black sheep amongst white ones.” Olivia shook her head to dismiss the thought. “They considered my dark skin tone to be ugly. I won’t bore you with the details.”

  Durbin raised his brows in surprise. “Really? That’s crazy. I see nothing except a gorgeous woman.”

  Olivia’s face warmed from his compliment. She averted her eyes back to the laptop and mumbled, “Thanks.”

  “Well, um. I guess I’ll go finish up.” Durbin left to return to the attic.

  His comments about her skin color lured Olivia into a reflection about the last phone conversation she had with her mother, a month after her release from jail.

  “Olivia. This is your mother.”

  “Hello, Mother. How may I help you?” Olivia responded with coldness dripping in her voice.

  “Is this how you greet me after all of your drama?” Mother’s shrill voice forced Olivia to remove the phone from her ear. She’d prefer hearing fingernails on a chalkboard.

  “None of you visited me in jail. I called you and Dad several times when I got out. You never answered or returned my calls.”

  “Well, it wasn’t worth the time it took to listen to your pitiful messages left on the voicemail. I expected you would’ve left an apology.”

  “An apology? For what?” Olivia couldn’t believe her mother had the

  nerve to ask her for anything. Especially, an apology.

  “For embarrassing our family. How do you think it feels to have everyone in the world know you tried to kill your husband and children?”

  “I’m not going to repeat what happened. I’m sure you followed my court case. You know good and well I didn’t try to kill Simone and Christian.”

  “Oh, yes you did. You’re no different from your grandfather, who set our house on fire when I was a child. What a shame you are to me, your father, and your sister.”

  “So nice of you to call and see how I’m doing, Mother. Thanks for asking. The children and I are fine. I appreciate your concern,” Olivia responded with as much disdain as she could muster.