by Leah Shay
He stood up. "If things start to get out of hand, Kyra, I'm taking our relationship public, and we will see how that works out."
"No, you will not," I said angrily. As I stood up, the tie on my robe came undone and opened up. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if fighting some deep inner urge. I wrapped the robe back around me and tied it securely. He walked toward the front door as I followed slowly behind him. He unlocked the door and stepped outside.
"Jared, please," I said from the doorway.
He turned to face me. He looked tired.
"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "I don't make your life much easier, do I?"
"Kyra, you have no idea." He kissed me on the forehead. "Good night. I love you."
"I love you."
If he went public with our relationship, I would have no privacy or freedom, and neither would Nate. When Jared found out I was pregnant, I'd be on total lockdown. I'd better enjoy what little freedom I had now, before he shackled me to the bedpost.
.
It was nine AM when I was awakened by my phone ringing. It was Nate.
"Mom, are you coming to get me from Grandma's house?"
"I'll be there in an hour," I told him.
I took a quick shower and suddenly remembered my new mantra: from home to work. From the back of my closet, I removed my black and yellow riding suit. I had not been on my bike in months. Rachel, my riding buddy, had been very busy lately, traveling with her husband, so I had not been on any of our Sunday evening rides for a long time. In the garage, I started to pull the cover off the Harley three-wheeler, but then changed my mind. I covered the Harley back and opted for the sleeker, sexier, yellow and black Suzuki GSX. I sat on the bike and felt the thrill even before starting her up. I put my helmet on, started her up, revved her out, and then coasted down the driveway. Aunt Maggie shook her head as she drove into the driveway and saw me pass by on the bike. I'd miss this feeling of a powerful bike beneath me, the freedom it brought me.
As I exited my housing complex, I was caught at the stoplight. My phone rang. I pressed the Bluetooth button on my helmet.
It was Nate. "Mom, where are you?"
"I'm on my way. How do you feel about a motorcycle ride?"
"Cool, Mom! Do you have my jacket and helmet?"
"I do. See you soon."
My phone rang again. Had to be Nate. He could never call once. He always remembered something afterwards and had to call back. I pressed the button and answered.
"Kyra, where the hell are you going?" It was Jared and he was mad.
The light changed and I rode off, surprised that the bike did not stall.
"Kyra, you stop that bike right now," he yelled.
"How do you know I'm riding?"
"Pull over!"
I pulled over on the grassy median and noticed a heavily tinted, black Dodge car pulling up behind me.
"You're having me followed?"
"And why do I have to do that, Kyra?" He was furious now. "You are going to turn that bike around and go home."
"Jared, I'm going to pick Nate up from my mom's house, ten minutes away."
"Kyra, I swear you are going to be the death of me. Turn the bike around. Do you want me to tell them to remove you from that bike?" he threatened.
"Do you think they could catch me?" I pressed the clutch and put the bike in gear.
"Kyra, stop."
"You can see me, can't you?"
"From the car's dash cam."
"Jared, I'll be careful. They can follow to my mom's house and back."
"You'd better be, Kyra, and by the way, you do look hot on that bike."
I turned in my seat toward the car and blew him a kiss, then rode off.
"Be careful, Kyra," he repeated.
I waited for him to hang up.
"Jay, can you please hang the phone up?"
"Do you realize how much attention you attract, riding that bike?"
"Are you jealous?"
"Right now all I want to do is peel that suit off you."
"Jared, do you value my safety?"
"Do you have to ask?"
"Then please hang up the phone."
"Text me when you get home." And he was gone. No doubt he was still watching me from the Dodge dash cam.
I picked up Nate and returned home, the black Dodge behind me like a shadow. Aunt Maggie was in the kitchen unpacking groceries when we returned. I removed my jacket and sat at the counter.
"Do you want something to eat?" Aunt Maggie asked.
"Not really hungry."
"You don't usually refuse breakfast. You're pregnant," she stated.
"Yes," I answered. "How did you know?"
"I can tell these things. Does he know?"
"No, I haven't told him yet."
"What are you waiting on?"
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do, Aunt Magg," I answered, and I told her about how he switched my birth control pills.
"Kyra, I know you, and I know you don't want to abort this child."
"I don't know if it will make it to full term. You know my uterus rejects almost everything that gets implanted there."
"Nate made it."
"He's a miracle."
"And it can happen again. I see how he looks at you. He loves you," she said. "And you deserve to be happy. One other thing - stop making him so mad." She placed a cup of chai tea in front of me. "The things you used to do to Rob. They're the same things you're doing to Jared. But you can't help, it. You've been spoilt from the day you were born. Nobody could ever say no to you. Men are putty in your hands. Whatever Kyra wants, Kyra gets." She smiled and patted my hand.
"Aunt Magg, is Jared talking to you about us?" I asked.
"He doesn't have to." She gave me her "I know everything" look. I remembered that I needed to text Jared.
My text: I'm home safely. - Love, Kyra.
Jared's text: Thanx. Busy. Talk later. - Love you more. Jay
I did not break any more rules. I listened. I did not want to make Jared angry. He had a great deal going on, and I was being selfish, stubborn, and spoilt.
.
I opened the garage door to go to work and noticed a brand new black Mercedes-Benz S550 parked behind my BMW. Aunt Maggie appeared behind me and handed me the keys.
"Jared wants you to drive that car."
I took the key without a word and left for work, with the black Dodge still shadowing me. At the hospital entrance, I noticed two news vans. I pulled up to the entrance of the doctors' lot and the security guard handed me a new badge. I swiped it and the gate opened. He directed me to a parking spot next to the security office that was blocked by two orange cones. The guard removed the cones and I parked the car.
Kenny, the security supervisor whom I knew very well, came out of the office.
"Kyra, what's going on?" Kenny asked.
"You tell me," I replied.
"Just following orders," he said.
Kenny escorted me across the street and into the building. He informed me that they'd be checking on me and left. Security usually made a routine, one-time round on the unit, but tonight they rounded several times. In the morning I was escorted down to my car. As I drove out of the doctors' parking lot, the black Dodge appeared behind me. The TV news vans were gone.
My phone rang. It was Jared.
"How was your night?" he asked.
"Tiring."
"Maybe you should get a day job."
"Not interested," I sang.
"I have a job offer I would like you to consider. How would you feel about being on the Board of Directors?"
"What!" I exclaimed and gave a nervous laugh. "Are you crazy?"
"Only about you."
"Jay...babes, be serious."
"I'm serious. You can make a difference."
"I don't know, babes. I love taking care of patients. I love being hands on. Let me think about it."
"It's Nate's birthday. What do you have planned?"
"T
he party is this weekend. I told him we would celebrate on Thursday. We are very short staffed tonight. I can't call off."
"I'll take him out," Jared offered.
"You don't have to. I know you're very busy."
"I've made time. We are going to ride ATVs..."
"No!" I shouted. "Have you forgotten what happened the last time you were on one?"
"Baby, I'm kidding." He laughed. "We're going to play laser tag."
Jared was amazing. He was super busy opening up a new office, buying a hospital system, and dealing with numerous other demands placed on him, and yet he still found time for us. My heart was heavy with guilt. I felt so lucky and blessed to have him in my life.
"Babes, are you there?" Jared's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Did you hear what I said?"
"No, I'm sorry."
"I said I worry about you driving home from work in the mornings, so tired and all."
"Stop worrying, Jay. I've been doing this for years."
"Don't you think today would be a good time to tell Nate about the adoption?"
There he went again with his limitless generosity. We had not discussed this any further since Monday, and although I had said yes, I was still having reservations about the idea of him adopting Nate. It would be capricious of me as a mother to allow a man I'd only met a few months ago to adopt my child, a man with secrets that had yet to be revealed, and that would potentially end the relationship.
"I know it's his birthday and all, but this is something that we should do together."
I was trying to buy more time.
"I'll keep you company until you get home," Jared offered.
"No need. I have to call work to remind them about something."
"See you soon."
"Bye." I lied; I did not have to call work. I turned up the radio and jammed to some Latino music, trying to stay awake. A red light caught me. I must have dozed off because it was the blaring horn from the black Dodge behind me that startled me. I looked around and there were no cars next to me. The light was green and I was holding up traffic behind me.
"Holy shit!" The light changed to amber. I stepped on the gas and sped off down the road. I hoped Jared did not hear about this. "Thank God I made it home." I opened the garage door.
The drive home in the mornings could be a challenge. I usually had to find ways to distract myself so I did not fall asleep at the wheel. I'd run into my garage door twice, not aware of how close I was to it. I'd broken the garage wall - didn't stop in time. I'd even fallen asleep in the car in the garage after I'd parked and turned it off. It was Aunt Maggie who found me there after coming home from taking Nate to school.
I took my scrubs off in the laundry room like I usually did. I was standing there in my undergarments when I heard unfamiliar footsteps on my marble tiles, coming toward the laundry room. I peeked out the door and there was Jared with a robe in hand, looking ravishingly handsome in a dark blue, well-tailored suit.
"What are you doing here?" I was so happy to see him.
"Visiting the birthday boy and his beautiful, sexy mom." He kissed me on the forehead and helped me into the robe. Then he disappeared down the hall.
J.C. and Nate were sitting at the counter in the kitchen, helping themselves to a breakfast feast laid out before them.
"Happy birthday, baby."
"Thank you, Mom." I pulled my little blessing into my arms. He was eleven and almost as tall as I was, and getting more handsome by the day.
"Thanks for the cool gift, Mom," Nate said, jumping up and down and squeezing me even tighter.
"iPhone," Jared mouthed so Nate could not hear.
"And you should see what Jay got me," Nate said, all excited.
"Let me take my shower first. Then you'll show me."
I wouldn't be able to take one of my long, hot showers this morning.
Nate and Jared were waiting on me. I found them in Nate's room. Jared pulled me into his lap.
"Look, Mom," Nate said. "A 3D 40 inch TV! We can have movie nights in here, and look, Mom, the newest MacBook."
Nate was bouncing off the walls with excitement. Smiles were plastered over my and Jared's faces. Nate came over and hugged us.
"Thank you, guys," Nate said. "I love you both."
He jumped back into bed and picked up his new phone.
"Nate," Jared said. "There is something your mom and I would like to talk to you about."
"You're getting married?" Nate looked up, just as excited as earlier.
Jared looked at me. He was going to let me answer that one. I couldn't believe he was going to tell Nate now about the adoption.
"Mom?" Nate asked. They were both waiting on my answer.
"No, Nate, we are not getting married. Not yet."
The excitement disappeared from his face.
"How do you feel about me being your dad? I would love to have you as my son. Your mom and I have discussed it, and if it's okay with you, I would like to adopt you."
The excitement returned to his face. He looked at me. The look on his face was priceless. He was surprised beyond words.
"It's up to you now," Jared said.
"Finally," Nate said and threw himself into our arms.
"Thank you, Jay. This is the best birthday present ever." Nate said, "Thank you, Mom. Can I call you Dad?"
"I would like that. Thank you, Nate," Jared said very fervently.
"I love you, Nate, and I love your mom. I admire your independence, your charming personality, how you take care of your mom. I admire your caring nature, and you're well-mannered, a perfect gentleman, and you leave such an impression on everyone you meet. You are a blessing and I would be honored to have you as my son."
"Thank you for taking care of my mom. She's much more fun since she met you."
"I wasn't fun before?"
"Mom, listen. I said much more fun," Nate clarified. "So, when are you guys getting married?"
Jared looked me in the eye. "Nate, you'll be the first to know when we have made that decision."
"Hope it's soon. You two are not getting any younger," Nate said. Jared and I laughed.
"Nate, you are too much. I'm going downstairs. I'm starving."
.
J.C. was sitting on the sofa watching the local news. Aunt Maggie was cleaning the kitchen. She stopped and placed a cup of chai tea, a bowl of fruit, and a bagel in front of us.
"How is everything, J.C.?" I asked.
"I'm doing great, Kyra. How are you?"
It suddenly occurred to me that I did not see their car in the driveway.
"How did you guys get here?"
"The helo."
"And where did you land the helicopter?" I looked through my window into the backyard to see if I had missed something.
"In the lot next to the tennis court."
A news brief on the television caught my attention. A reporter stood at the entrance of St. Mary's South. "There have been speculations that one of our largest hospital systems has gone private. Sources says that St. Mary's Healthcare System was brought by an unknown investor for a whopping $4 billion dollars..."
I jumped as Jared wrapped his arms around me from behind. He buried his nose in my hair.
"You need to get some sleep." He came around and stood in front of me. "Nate is spending the day with me, and we'll meet up with his friends later for laser tag."
"Baby, are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Remember, he has school tomorrow."
"J.C. will pick you up in the morning."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want a repeat of this morning."
"You heard about that already?"
"Do you really drive home in that condition every morning?"
"No."
"J.C will pick you up." He kissed me gently. I grabbed the lapel of his jacket and held him against my lips. He knew what I wanted and kissed me deeper.
Chapter Fifteen
Jared had asked me countless times to
move into his apartment and make it our home, and just as many times I had refused. I was certain by now that the word "no" was no longer foreign to him. Then one night after some raging hot, amorous sex - his face so close to mine his breath caressed my face - he asked again. With my mind still not lucid, and floating in the clouds from our lovemaking, I answered yes. His persistence eventually wore me down, or maybe he caught me at my weakest moment.
I agreed to weekends only. Even though that was not what he wanted, he had no choice but to agree. Then the real negotiations began on the day and time. My terms were through Sundays, but that was too vague for him. As usual he ended up coming out on top by suckering me to agree to Friday mornings to Monday mornings.
I greatly anticipated our weekends together and hated when they came to an end, but for now that was the arrangement. I did not want to totally give up my life, my home, my independence. The days when I was at home, it was freedom and normalcy. When I was with him, his world was reserved, guarded, and sheltered. Why did it have to be so difficult? Why couldn't he be a normal guy? I loved being with him and yearned for that, but I loved even more my simple, normal life.
.
Shai was an attractive woman with dark brown hair pulled back in a bun. She had a decisive, confident air about her. Deep in her dark brown eyes was a determined, killer look. A woman who could kick ass and look good doing it: someone who could take a man twice her size down in the blink of an eye.
"Kyra, this is Shai," J.C. said. As I exited the hospital, they were standing next to the same black Dodge that had been following me all week and waiting to take me to Jared's apartment. Jared did not trust that I would follow our agreement of me going from home to work.
"Miss Harris, nice to finally meet you." She smiled.
"Please call me Kyra."
"As you wish, ma'am."
"Please, do not call me ma'am either."
"Can I have your keys?" J.C. asked, his hand outstretched.
"I can drive," I said clutching the keys.
"Do you want to get me in trouble?"
"No."
"It's safer if I drive."