Incendiary

by Elisabeth

  I frowned and nodded.

  “I’m going to miss you too, Matteo. I’ll call as much as I can.”

  “Please, and if you are feeling overwhelmed, call me. I will be on the next plane over.”

  I chuckled, but nodded, knowing he would do this.

  “I will.”

  “I can’t believe my little one is going back to do her residency.”

  I shook my head.

  “When will you stop calling me, ‘little one’? You’re only forty.”

  He threw his head back and laughed boisterously.

  “When you grow past five feet and match my six-foot frame. We both know that is never going to happen.” He winked at me as he stood up walking toward his desk.

  I laughed, wiping my face clean from tears. I grabbed my handbag, looking over at Matteo once more, then I sighed.

  “You are my angel,” I said, filled with gratitude.

  “You are the angel here, my dear, and you’ll see that. Now go, before I charge you for keeping my next appointment idle.”

  I laughed as I quickly walked over to him, hugging him tightly before letting go. I left quickly from his office before I shed another tear. I should’ve paid attention to where I was going, but I didn’t, which caused me to knock right into a brick wall, or so I thought it was.

  I rubbed my forehead before realizing it was a man’s chest. I blinked, then my gaze continued traveling higher and higher until it stopped on a set of bright green eyes staring back at me. He was lean, yet muscular, and scary looking as a scowl planted on his face. His dark hair was pulled back into a low bun emphasizing the size of his neck and shoulders. Freckles sprayed all over his attractive face. The intensity of his look yanked goosebumps from my skin, and before he could say anything, I sidestepped him, running away as fast as I could. I must’ve looked insane with my waist-length hair flying everywhere. I was running as if my life was in danger. I felt like it was; he terrified me down to my core.

  “Beautiful…” was all he said but I was too far away to hear him.

  I.

  Nights spent

  Nate

  I knew I was having another nightmare of when I first felt my brother pull away from me, and the one woman I knew I would love forever dies. I had no control over my subconscious as it switched over to the last moments of when my heart ripped into two. To have something you’ve felt all your life leave you was scary, but to have the woman you love killed in front of you, it drives a being mad. It makes him think and do irrational things. Things that should’ve been wrong, but for me, it was the only way to feel. I remember the feeling of emptiness overcome me as my brother closed himself to me. The sorrow in his eyes, and the anger there couldn’t stop me from questioning why he did it, but I didn’t even get that chance as he flew away from me. Then, the strangled cry of the woman I loved brought me back. I looked at her in Orias’ arms not able to get out.

  I watched Orias wanting to plead my case. My pride told me to shut the hell up and never show how weak I had become, but none of it mattered anymore. She would die if I didn’t save her.

  “Orias… Orias, I beg of you, let her go. Let her live. My brother is now gone, and it won’t be a problem anymore.”

  Orias shook his head, a sad expression crossing his face, but then, he recovered.

  “Listen to me, Nathaniel. Go now. You and your brother have spilled blood in the Garden. Not just any blood but a sibling’s brother and you know better!” His voice thundered causing the ground beneath us to shake.

  “Orias, just one more chance.” I knew I shouldn’t beg this hard for a woman who didn’t even deserve my love, but I loved her so hard, so deep that I couldn’t see myself with anyone else.

  “I’m giving you one more chance to leave without seeing.” Orias’ voice grew darker, more menacing than before. His eyes moved, looking like a million galaxies were traveling in the span of seconds.

  I tossed and turned on my bed, reliving my nightmare. I couldn’t’ wake myself up, even though I tried. I was a slave to this nightmare and this moment as if it was my curse to live out for as long as I was to be alive.

  I shook my head; I wouldn’t look away. No! I would face this head on. I stood stock still as Orias put his hand over Marissa’s neck. Her eyes grew wider as he squeezed. I watched it all as her body shook harder with each passing moment. It was silent as ever; not even a whimper came out of her mouth. She just watched me. Her eyes that were once full of life when she smiled at me were now dead. As her final breath left her body, so did mine. I would never love another, and I felt it deep within me. I propelled myself to the sky, not wanting to be there any longer and vowing never to return.

  I woke up, shocked by my own voice that was filled with pure agony. My body profusely secreted sweat, drenching my bed sheets. I tried to calm myself down. If I didn’t calm down, this nightmare wouldn’t disappear. My mind played tricks on me, and I had yet to master how to trick it into having some rest. My body calmed down first. Then, my mind seemed to quiet down. After a moment, I looked to my left at the alarm. It was still 3:00 AM. I groaned knowing I never made it past that time every night. I sighed as I got out of bed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore.

  ~E~

  Xena

  I woke up filled with excitement because I was meeting my new patient. My body swayed to Janet Jackson’s That’s the Way Love Goes as I pulled my black waist-length hair back into a ponytail laying it down with gel. Then, I twirled it forming a perfect, low bun. I looked at myself in the mirror. I went light with my makeup just putting on foundation hiding my freckles. I applied some tinted oil lip gloss on my plump lips and applied mascara. I checked out my diamond studded earrings that made my eyes pop. The contrast between my left and right eye was evident as the left one was sea-green and the right gray.

  I walked out of my bathroom toward my full-length mirror to check my work outfit. I tried to look professional every day, but after giving birth to Brodie, my hips and thighs never left even though I worked out every day. I looked at my dark blue dress pants as they hugged my thick thighs the right way and continued to my ankles. I wore a light blue dress shirt tucked in, and I reached over to my bed picking up my matching dark blue blazer to complete my look. I shook my head as I heard Brodie running from his room to mine bursting through it without knocking.

  “Mom!” he yelled.

  “Morning, Brodie.”

  “Mom!” he yelled again.

  I turned to face him with my hands on my hips and a cocked eyebrow. He rolled his eyes and huffed.

  “Morning, Mom,” he said, and then, he continued. “Where did you put my science project? I can’t find it.”

  I shook my head.

  “It’s on the kitchen island, buddy. Now, get your backpack. Did you finish your breakfast?”

  “Yep!” he answered.

  I looked him over to make sure he was ready for school. He wore his school uniform: gray slacks and white dress shirt with the matching dark blue blazer with the school logo. He wore black sneakers that he refused to part with for some reason. My son was the spitting image of me with black, curly hair that stopped at the nape of his neck. His mismatched eyes resembled mine except his left eye was gray and the right was sea-green. Freckles were sprinkled on his nose and under both his eyes exactly like mine. The only real difference between us was my milk chocolate skin contrasted with his tanned olive skin, but he was all mine nonetheless.

  “Mom?” Brodie called out to me.

  “Yes?” I said, snapping out of my moment.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, walking up to me. He was getting bigger, taller than the average seven-year-old.

  “Nothing.” I shrugged.

  “I know you, and when you’re thinking about something, you get this look on your face.”

  I smiled and ran a hand through his curls.

  “I’m fine, baby.”

  “Mom…” He pressed on.

  “Broderick William McQuee
n!”

  He threw his hands up in surrender. “Not the full name. Okay, I’ll be waiting downstairs.” He smiled widely and kissed my cheek, running out to get his things. I love this kid.

  When we pulled up to the school’s driveway, Brodie leaned in from the back seat and gave me another kiss on the cheek before getting out the car.

  “I love you, Mom; please don’t lie to me anymore,” he said.

  I was caught off guard and turned to look at him, confused. I have never lied to Brodie about anything except where he came from.

  “What do you mean?” I asked him.

  “You lied to me this morning when you said it was nothing. You looked happy one minute, but then your face grew sad. You said we wouldn’t lie to each other.”

  I sighed and turned my engine off. I fully turned and hugged him as tight as I could in the space that we were given. I kissed his cheek, and then let go.

  “When did you get so big?”

  He smiled showing off his teeth and deep dimples.

  “I don’t know but are you really okay, Mommy?”

  “I am, and I promise I won’t lie to you anymore.”

  Those eyes of his spoke volumes. He was worried about me, and I knew why.

  I used to cry a lot when I would come back home from those long residency hours and wasn’t able to stay with him. I missed Matteo, but I was glad Brodie and I lived far away from New York, away from the bad memories. In the bubble of Vegas, Brodie would cuddle with me while I cried. I didn’t think he would remember, but now, I knew he remembered those nights filled with tears and nightmares that came after. Brodie looked at me once more and nodded. He kissed my forehead and got out of the car with his science project and backpack in tow. I watched him go inside, glad I decided to move back to Vegas. Even if it was just Matteo, having someone around, besides me, would be great for Brodie.

  I made a stop first to my favorite coffee shop before going across the street to my office. It was early, so I didn’t expect the coffee shop to be as busy as it was when I stepped in. I sighed and texted my assistant that I would be a bit later than I thought. I smiled when she sent a text back that the new patient would be a bit late too.

  Whew!

  After a couple of minutes, my turn was up, and I ordered my coffee. I moved along to the side to wait for my drink. As I was waiting, the sexiest voice I had ever heard filled my ears. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed someone was performing, but now, I was grateful. I turned my body toward the little stage packed with people.

  ♫ See, I would rather, I would rather go blind, girl, yeah. Than to see you walk away, walk away from me, child. You see, I love you so much, I don't wanna watch you leave now, baby, but most of all it's just I want to be free. ♫

  I knew that song, and no one could tell me differently about it. It was the cover of Tennessee Whiskey sung by Stan Walker and Parson James. I recognized the chorus, but when this man sang the second verse to the song, everything fell away. The hustling and bustling of the coffee shop froze. All the people talking and laughing to the sounds of the coffee machines, they all had quieted down. There were no other sounds for me except for his voice. The way he sang that verse, it tugged at me as if his heart was wrenched out of his body and broken into a million pieces. He made me want to cry for him, go to war for him all in the simple words he was singing. I didn’t even notice I was staring until the barista called my name out more than once.

  It was as if the reality of where I was came back into full view. I blinked. The noise of the machines, everything flooded my brain. I looked at the barista, giving her a small smile as I took my coffee.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  I risked one more look at the singer, and my eyes went wide as his bright green eyes were set on me. He was no longer singing as he continued to play his guitar, while the other male singer sang the next verse. My heartbeat sped up, and I knew I had to get out of there.

  When I entered my office building, I greeted the security team at the front desk. I knew my patient was a celebrity I had never met or Googled. I didn’t want what I read online to influence me on my clients. When I first got this job, I teared up with the excitement of landing a job right after I finished with my residency, even if Matteo was the one who helped me get it. I owed him everything.

  As I rode up the elevator, I swayed my head to the elevator music loving that it wasn’t the typical kind but instead it was Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith. I hummed to the song and swayed a bit. I should’ve cared that there were other people on the elevator, but that’s who I was.

  Finally, before I broke out into a singing competition with Sam Smith, I stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor and walked toward my office. I smiled at my assistant, Margot, as I walked past her desk. She was on the phone and typing something up. I waved at her and smiled when she quickly waved back. Margot was the first friend I made when I started working there. Now, we tried to get together as much as we could. I opened the wooden door to my office. The plaque on the front read: Dr. Xena McQueen. These were the moments I wished my father could see. I shook my head, wiping away memories of my father. I decided it was time to work and get into my day as I saw my patients. It filled me with joy that I was getting a new patient.

  My patients were progressing, and it made my heart warm helping them. Whether it was getting cleared to go back to shooting movies or whatever else they decided. I heard my door open without a knock, and that made me look up. I knew it wasn’t Margot because she never came into my office without knocking. When I looked up, I inaudibly gasped. The biggest man I’d ever seen stood at the door as if he owned this place. My fingers froze mid typing on my computer keyboard as I looked him up and down. He was gorgeous.

  Was it okay to think a patient was gorgeous?

  In the back of my mind, I knew I should’ve gotten up from my seat and walked over to greet my new patient, but I didn’t move.

  I watched him as his blazing green eyes bore into mine. I blinked looking away from those eyes, yet that made me notice everything else about him. His hair was dark, and it stopped mid-chest. He wore it loose, and weirdly enough, it fit him. It couldn’t be helped that his face was on the verge of beautiful if men were beautiful, that is. I skimmed over his lips, not wanting to stare too long, but I zeroed in on his bottom lip being plumper than the top, or maybe, his facial hair made his lips stick out to me. He rocked a beard that fit him.

  It didn’t look unkempt, nor was it long. It was trimmed and groomed to perfection.

  I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth. I didn’t even bother controlling myself as my eyes wandered farther down past his neck. His shoulders were broad and defined covered in the white t-shirt he was wearing. His arms were on display showing his sleeve tattoos. The rest of his body was worth glimpsing as my eyes traveled farther down from his hard chest to what I just knew were taut abs. Even past his waist, his thighs were incredible…

  He cleared his throat loud enough to snap me out of my moment. My eyes shot up to look at him in his eyes as I should’ve been doing in the first place. My brain registered he was the singer I just saw across the street in the coffee shop. I blinked a couple of times and stood from my desk. I grabbed my notepad, and his file then came around my desk, welcoming him into my office.

  “Please come in,” I said.

  “Thanks.” His gruff voice made my spine shiver.

  I paused as he shut the door and made his way to the couch that faced the chair I would sit in. I cleared my throat again, trying to get myself together; this was my job. As he made his way in front of me, my neck craned as I looked up at him. He must’ve been about seven feet tall or close to it. I brought my hand out for him to shake.

  “Hello, I’m Dr. McQueen; you must be Nathaniel.”

  “Nate’s fine.”

  He looked from my face to my extended hand as if it was diseased. I cocked my eyebrow as the moment stretched on a bit longer. I wondered why he refused to take my hand, so I sigh
ed and gestured for him to sit.

  ~E~

  Nate

  “Please take a seat…” Her sultry voice filled my ears. I looked her up and down again as I sat down on the plush couch.

  I didn’t want to be there, but did I have a damn choice? This new doctor, Dr. McQueen, she’s gorgeous, but I didn’t want to be there. I rolled my eyes when she sat down and put one leg over the other. It was distracting.

  “So, Mr. Hendrix tell me what happened on your last trip? From the notes Mat—I mean Dr. Daniels sent me, something happened on the last trip that has you needing to see someone who is available right now? Tell me about it.”

  She fired one question after the other, and I tried hard not to roll my eyes.

  I crossed my arms and looked at her.

  “Nate,” I corrected her.

  “Excuse me?” She tilted her head to the side. I tried not to look into her piercing eyes, the intensity and different colors almost locked me in.

  “You can call me Nate.”

  She smiled, throwing me off for a moment. My eyebrows furrowed wondering how someone could smile and their entire face changes. Deep dimples appeared causing a light thump thump to start up in my chest.

  What the hell!

  “Thanks, Nate…” She tested my name out on her tongue. I looked to the side avoiding what her voice was doing to me.

  That wasn’t normal. There wasn’t a woman in the world that could shake me ever again. If anything, I was the one that shook them.

  I’m Nathaniel Hendrix dammit!

  Women bowed at my feet to get a chance just to suck at my fingers that make love to the electric guitar, and that isn’t even the best part of me. I hardened my features before turning around to look at her as she continued.

  “Are you going to tell me about what happened?”

  “You know what happened,” I replied gruffly. She was starting to lose her appeal.

  “I know what I’ve read, but I would like you to tell me yourself,” she calmly replied.