The Things Everson Lost

by Tina Martin

  “Ah,” she said. “Much better.” She wouldn’t be sleeping on the couch tonight. Why punish herself for something she didn’t do, especially when there was a new, five-thousand dollar mattress she could melt into?

  She vacuumed rugs, ran the Swiffer across every floor in the house, dusted, cleaned the bathrooms, fluffed throw pillows and wiped down the kitchen countertops. It kept her mind busy. She rarely had time to feel sorry for herself when she kept busy, even if she had already wiped down the stainless steel refrigerator two times before and went back because she saw a smudge.

  It wasn’t until after all the work was completed that she started to think about Everson again. That she began to beat herself up with that nagging question that probably gone through every woman’s mind when their man cheats or almost cheats: What did the other woman have that she didn’t?

  Walking into the home office, she logged in under her profile on the desktop computer and started her own investigation, beginning with Facebook. She searched for an Eliana Simmons living in Atlanta and fortunately, found one – the one – without much effort since her name wasn’t a popular one.

  Feeling like a cyber stalker, she clicked on the woman’s name to bring up her profile.

  “See what you’ve reduced me to, Everson?” she said in a monotone.

  She stared at Eliana’s profile picture. The skank heffa just had to be gorgeous, didn’t she? Her plump lips were tinted a shade of red—lips that Everson had kissed. She wondered if he’d also played in Eliana’s long, black hair the same way he liked to play in hers. And then Eliana’s makeup was done to perfection like she was a YouTube beauty blogger with all the highlights in the right places. All the imperfections concealed.

  The muscles in June’s jaw quivered. She could already feel her temples throbbing again. Perhaps this was a bad idea. It was only serving to make her more furious than she already was, but she convinced herself to continue on. She needed to know who this woman was. She looked at the ‘Intro’ section:

  Work: Head of Communications at Seaton Data Inc. (SDI)

  Studied at: University of Arizona

  Lives in: Atlanta, Georgia

  Followed by 688 people

  Then came the photos. Did people not know they could make their Facebook timelines private? Or did they want to showcase their lives to the world, to the haters, just to brag and flaunt their successes? None of Eliana’s albums were private, and she had plenty of them, all with differentiating titles:

  -Timeline Photos

  -Work Stuff

  -Vacay Life

  -All Things Jaxson

  -Party, Party, Party

  -Mountain Trip

  -Viva La Mexico

  -Where My Girls At

  -New Year’s Turn-ups

  -Profile Pictures

  -Cover Photos

  The album that stood out to her was All Things Jaxson since Everson said the boy was his son. Nervously, June chewed on her lip. Should she open this can of worms? Maybe she could look at Jaxson and see some signs that he really wasn’t Everson’s son. At least, that’s what she hoped. Deciding to go for it, she clicked on the album and closed her eyes instantly after seeing just a few of the pictures in the album. The boy did look like Everson. She could see it in his eyes, nose, mouth, face and build.

  She clicked on the Work Stuff album and decided to look at more pictures of Eliana. The woman must have been intelligent to land the top position in communications. There were all kind of pictures of her mingling at different work functions, giving seminars and traveling to different countries. According to the caption on the picture she was currently looking at, Eliana had been in China two months ago. And in every photo, she was dressed in business attire, not exposing too much of herself, but modest, like a professional businesswoman and mother.

  “Oh my God. That’s it,” June said, reaching an epiphany. She knew what the appeal was of Eliana Simmons. Not only was she an ex-girlfriend of Everson’s, she was a businesswoman. The mother of his child.

  June wasn’t a businesswoman, and she had no children. Since Everson told her he didn’t want children until after they’d been married for at least three years, she knew that wasn’t the issue that made him stray. She had a good idea what was, though – Eliana had a career.

  A lot of men liked their wives to stay at home so they could feel taken care of, especially the Blackstone men. Barringer was the same way with Calista, as was Garrison with Vivienne before she died. And according to what she’d heard, Bryson’s first wife, Felicia, didn’t lift a hand to do anything, and she still cheated on him.

  At any rate, what if that was the issue – how she was a nothing more than a Wilmington housewife while other women were more exciting, had professional and private lives and weren’t just mopping floors all day, scheduling house maintenance appointments, dropping off dry cleaning and buying food.

  June never imagined she would be that woman. Domesticated. Cooking almost daily. Washing dishes. Finding reasons to leave the house just to feel like she had a life because, other than that, the only time she felt like she was actually somebody important was when she was with Everson since her main role was being his wife. She could’ve been so much more.

  She was college educated. Without the first clue of the kind of job she wanted, she still went to college and worked hard to obtain a degree in the broad business administration program. And when she met Everson three years ago, she was working as an office manager at a medical office. She only quit because he asked her to. Said they would travel together since he was always out of town for work and wanted her to be available to go with him. She couldn’t travel if she was devoted to a job. He made enough money to take care of them. Now what did she have besides regrets?

  She exited out of Facebook and logged off of the computer feeling…feeling…nothing. She didn’t feel a thing. No anger. No sadness. No jealousy. She didn’t know what to attribute the feeling to – maybe the supersized Coke and rum – but thank God for the calm that came over her. It would help her have a restful night, one which she hadn’t had in what seemed like forever.

  Chapter 19

  Bewildered, Everson stared down at the floor, sitting in a chair in his hotel room. The sound of his cell phone buzzing across the table jerked him out of his reverie. He looked at the phone and saw that the caller was Bryson.

  He answered, “Calling to say I told you so, right? Go ahead. Say it.”

  “Nah, man,” Bryson said. “That’s not why I’m calling. I do need to talk to you, though, and not over the phone. In person. Where are you staying?”

  Everson sighed but decided to tell him anyway.

  “Have you eaten?” Bryson asked.

  “Yeah.” He lied. He needed to eat, but with everything going on, he couldn’t. Not knowing the state of his marriage left his stomach in knots. And then there was the business about seeing his son. Eliana was being difficult. It was all just too much to bear.

  “Okay. I’ll be there shortly.”

  Bryson showed up about a half hour later. Everson opened the door to let him in and the two exchanged a brief half-hug.

  “I heard you went by mom and dad’s,” Bryson said standing with his hands in his pockets.

  Everson returned to the chair he was sitting on prior to Bryson’s arrival. “Yep. I stopped by there yesterday. Told them about Jaxson. I didn’t go into detail about what happened with me and Eliana. Didn’t see a need to. I just needed to ask them about the email Eliana gave me.”

  “And?” Bryson asked, eyebrows raised.

  “Dad didn’t tell you?”

  “No.”

  “He said he never saw the email before. Mom said the same thing—said they’d never send something like that to somebody’s parents. I already knew that. I just had to rule it out before going back to Eliana with this nonsense. She haven’t heard the last of me. The woman had the audacity to send me a text that said she changed her mind about me having a relationship with Jaxson. It’
s like, if she can’t have me, then she doesn’t want me to have a relationship with my son.”

  Bryson sauntered over to the empty chair by the table and sat near Everson. “That’s tough,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to work something out. They have family courts for situations like this.”

  “Yeah. Looks like I may have to go that route. Anyway, next Friday, I’m going to Atlanta to get some things straightened out.”

  Bryson nodded. Tapping his fingertips on the table, he said, “You know who I’m worried about the most in all of this?”

  “Who?”

  “June.”

  Everson dropped his head.

  Bryson continued, “Kalina went by there…said June didn’t look too good.”

  “As you can imagine, she doesn’t want to talk to me,” Everson said. “She doesn’t want to be anywhere near me.”

  Bryson glanced up at his brother. He looked worried, so he knew he was concerned about June and what he’d done to hurt her. “Have you tried calling her today?”

  Everson shook his head. “No. Why should I when I know my call isn’t going to get answered?”

  “It’s not about whether she’ll answer your call. It’s about you showing her that you want to make this right. That you still love her. That you know you were wrong, and you realize you’re at her mercy. Seeking her forgiveness. Instead, you’re showing her that you don’t care.”

  “That’s not what I’m doing, Bryce.”

  “Being on the outside looking in, I’m telling you that’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re more focused on Eliana and Jaxson than you are on June. She’s your wife, man. She’s supposed to come above all else. Everything.”

  “In essence, what you’re saying is, I need to forget about the fact that I have a son.”

  “Not at all. I’m saying, going to Atlanta is not a good idea given the state of your marriage. The more time that passes between you and June, the easier it’s going to be for her to walk away from you. Atlanta can wait, man. Getting your wife back should take precedence.”

  Everson rubbed his head. Frowning, he asked, “How am I supposed to do this, Bryson? I don’t even know if June wants me back. When she looks at me, I see nothing but hatred.”

  “As you should, given what you’ve done. I know how June feels. I felt the same way when Felicia cheated on me.”

  “Yeah, but that’s different. Felicia actually cheated, meaning she had sex with another man. I didn’t sleep with Eliana.”

  “But you wanted to,” Bryson said.

  “I—”

  “There’s no need to deny it,” Bryson interrupted. “You were alone in her hotel room and you wanted to.”

  Everson grew quiet for a moment – a silent admission of guilt. Okay, so maybe he did, want to. He didn’t, and that should count for something, right? Or was the want, the desire, as bad as the physical activity itself?

  “I get the vibe that you’re mad at June and you’re the one in the wrong,” Bryson told him.

  “I’m not mad at her. I just don’t understand why she’s reacting this way. I mean, be mad. Okay. I get it. But does that mean you shut me completely out of your life like we haven’t spent the last three years of our lives together? That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Unfortunately, bruh, you can’t tell someone how to feel or how to react in a certain situation. The truth of the matter is, she wouldn’t be acting this way at all had you not did what you did. You have to fix it, man.”

  “How? How do I fix it?”

  Bryson looked at him sideways. “What do you mean how?”

  “I’ve never chased a woman before…never did the break up to make up thing. In the past, if a woman wanted to end a situation with me, then that was it.”

  “As I recall, June broke up with you briefly while you were dating, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah…because I told her I didn’t want to get married.”

  “And you didn’t waste any time getting her back. So, you have chased a woman before. You chased June and to top it off, you did something you said you wouldn’t do—you married her.”

  “I guess this time is different. You should see the way she looks at me—it’s like all she sees is a cheater. Her ex cheated on her, man. I never wanted her to feel like I would do that to her. I wouldn’t do that to her. I just—” Everson grunted before he slammed his hand down on the table. “How could I be so freakin’ stupid?” he asked standing, sliding his hands into his pockets while pacing in front of the windows.

  Bryson gave him a few moments to think. He couldn’t imagine being in Everson’s shoes, but he knew from his brother’s actions and behavior that he was in agony over this. Not his normal, confident, cheerful self. Still seated, Bryson turned toward him and asked, “Your plan is to leave for Atlanta on Friday?”

  “Yeah,” Everson answered sadly, still staring out the window.

  “Then, make sure you call June every day. At least once. Maybe before you go to bed, or when you get up in the morning—whichever you think she might like and whenever you think she’s the calmest. If she’s a morning person, call her in the morning. If she’s not a morning person, call her at night. You already know she’s not going to answer, so be prepared to leave a message—not a text message—a voicemail. She needs to hear your voice. Make sure your message is thoughtful and from the heart and end it by telling her that you love her.”

  “If Felicia would’ve done the same thing you’re telling me to do, would you have taken her back?”

  “Not a chance.”

  “Then why—?”

  “My situation was different from yours, Everson. Don’t try to compare the two. All I know is, if you love June, if you do not want to lose your wife, be prepared to do whatever it takes to get her back. Handle your business in Atlanta, but do not forget the most important business you need to be handling and that’s getting back on good terms with June. Got it?”

  “Yeah. Got it.”

  Bryson smirked. “I remember when I was going through the Felicia crisis. I blamed myself for her actions. She cheated on me and there I was blaming myself for it. I couldn’t understand why I was doing that. I talked to dad about it, and you know what he told me?”

  “What’s that?”

  “He said, son, remember…when you know what you got at home, there’s no need to roam. Basically, what he was telling me was, Felicia didn’t know what she had at home. She didn’t appreciate me so she stepped out. Now, I’m not saying that’s why you accepted Eliana’s invitation to the beach, but while you have this time, ask yourself if you know what you have at home because I can guarantee you—there’s some guy out there that’s been praying for a woman like June.”

  Everson took his attention away from the view and looked at Bryson when he said, “Well, that’s too bad, ‘cause she’s mine, and she’ll always be mine.”

  Bryson grinned. “Be easy, Everson. I said a woman like June.”

  Everson flashed a lazy smile he managed to work up.

  Bryson stood up and said, “I’ll get out of your hair now. Just think about what I said.” He gave Everson a pat on the shoulder and headed for the door.

  Chapter 20

  Over the course of the next few days, June reflected on what she wanted out of life instead of what Everson wanted. She had dreams before being infatuated by a Blackstone – before falling for Everson’s charm. She realized she wanted more than the title of being someone’s wife – especially to a man who could so easily take her for granted.

  If there was ever a silver lining in this mess, it was how motivated she was to find herself again after being lost in the shadows of Everson’s success. It prompted her to get online, revise her resume and apply for jobs. She even visited her old employer who told her that he may have a position becoming available soon and wanted to set up a meeting to discuss it with her.

  Today, Friday, she was in the kitchen cooking dinner. She’d gone grocery shopping earlier, and no, she didn’t w
ear sunglasses to hide from people. She just went, purchased her items and returned home without running into anyone she knew. On a new high of self-esteem, she didn’t care if she had run into somebody. She was done living like she was the guilty one.

  With music blaring from the sound system in the family room that served to fill the entire house, she placed a wooden cutting board on the counter and, on top of it, she placed a sweet, yellow onion, slicing it down the middle. She proceeded to cut thinner slices and then flipped those slices horizontally so she could dice the onions into smaller pieces. The smell alone brought tears to her eyes.

  She sniffled and blinked quickly. There wasn’t supposed to be any tears today. Today was a happy day. One of renewal and reinvention. But thanks to an onion, she had tears in her eyes.

  Retreating, she stepped away from the island and stuck her head outside to capture some fresh air, pulling it in and basking in the sun as it warmed her face. She smiled. Sometimes in life, it was the little things that got you through the hard times. Like feeling the sunshine on your skin, wearing fuzzy socks that gave you the ability to skate across the floor easily and dance to loud Hip Hop music alone in your kitchen or laughing out loud at yourself because you forgot to cut up onions at the sink under a steady stream of cold water to help reduce the chances of them burning your eyes and bringing you to tears.

  After a longer break than she’d planned to take, June locked the screen door but left the primary door open to allow air to ventilate the kitchen. Turning on the front eye of the stove, she placed a frying pan there, then opened a pack of ground beef, dropping it in the pan, listening as it sizzled. She’d need the beef for the chili she was preparing since deciding to cook hotdogs.