“If he wanted someone else, he would have been with someone else. He dumped Desiree because you didn’t like her. He dragged my boss out on an uncomfortable as hell date because of you.”
“Does she hate you now?”
“No, I told her that was all you. Don’t come to my office for a while.”
“Gotcha.”
Janiyah sighed and rubbed the cool glass against her forehead. “My life is more screwed up now than ever. I don’t know what to do. I can’t take another desk job; it was killing me. And I can’t even think about dating, not even casually.”
“You’ll figure something out. You always do. Forget a new relationship; men are a dime a dozen anyway. When you’re ready, you’ll find one.”
Janiyah sipped her wine, then gave Liz a half smile. “Say that when we’re sitting here ten years from now and I’m still heartbroken.”
“I have a feeling you won’t be heartbroken for the next ten years. And the job stuff will work itself out. You’ve still got your virtual assisting clients.”
“I do, and Mrs. Driggers did mention a friend who needs help promoting her business,” Janiyah said nodding slowly. “At first I didn’t have a lot of time to help, but I could now.” In fact, some of the small businesses Freddy helped out needed help with small things like increasing their online presence and connecting with customers via social media. She could reach out to a few of them to see if they’d be interested in her help with that.
“See, things are looking better already,” Liz said.
Janiyah thought about Freddy. How perfect they’d been when it was just the two of them. Away from the office they were comfortable with each other. Their relationship had seemed so easy in those moments. How could things be even remotely better without him in her life? Liz reached over and poked Janiyah’s shoulder. “Stop thinking about him.”
Janiyah shook her head to do just that. “I’m not.”
“Liar.” Liz pulled her over into a side hug. “If Fredrick’s too dumb to realize that he was crazy about you just the way you were then it’s his fault, not yours. I like him, but this whole breakup thing is all on his shoulders. Don’t let him dump his hang-ups on you.”
Janiyah finished the wine. She dropped her head back on the couch and turned to Liz with a smile. “I hate it when you’re right. It makes you think you’re such a know it all.”
“Consider it my superpower.”
“There’s something seriously wrong with you,” Janiyah said with a grin.
Her cell phone rang. With a sigh, and the truth Liz dropped on her weighing heavily in her chest, she crossed the room to get her phone out of her purse.
A picture of Kareem sitting on his motorcycle flashed on her screen. “Hello.”
“Janiyah, Dad’s in the hospital.”
The strength left her legs. She collapsed against the wall. “What, when? Is he … ”
“We don’t know what’s going on. His temperature spiked. Mom and I brought him to the emergency room. They just admitted him. I’ve called David and Aaron. They’re on the way.”
She jumped when Liz’s hand touched her shoulder. “Okay, I’m coming now.”
“Don’t cry. He’ll be okay,” Kareem said. She wondered if it were more for his sake than hers.
“I won’t cry. Daddy hates that.”
She ended the call and turned to Liz. “That was Kareem. Dad’s in the hospital. I have to go.”
“I heard. You’re too shaken.” Liz helped her get off the floor and took the keys out of her hand. “Come on, I’ll drive.”
She nodded and gave Liz’s hand a grateful squeeze.
CHAPTER 29
Kareem was the first person they saw when they got to the hospital. He sat in one of the plastic waiting room chairs with his head in his hands. His dreadlocks were loose and spilled around his shoulders, blocking the view of his face. He was in all black, as usual, and in the hospital waiting room his normal attire had a more somber appearance.
Janiyah rushed over to him. She kneeled before him and wrapped her arms around him. Kareem jumped and tried to pull away, but she didn’t let go. Now wasn’t the time for his strong man routine. With a shuddered sigh, he relaxed and returned the gesture.
“Is he okay?” Janiyah asked.
He pulled back. “Yeah, he’s fine.” He rubbed his eyes with his forefingers. When he dropped his hands, he avoided eye contact, but it didn’t hide the redness.
Janiyah sat back on her heels. “What happened?”
Kareem stood. He walked to the television hanging on the opposite wall and fiddled with the channels. Probably so she wouldn’t hug him again. “We were slow at the shop so I went to check in. You could tell he wasn’t feeling well, but you know Dad. He kept arguing with Mom and insisting he was fine. Mom asked me to talk some sense into him, but you know how that goes.”
Janiyah nodded. She got off the floor to sit in the chair he’d abandoned.
“How did you get him here?”
“He tried to storm out of the room on me, but swayed on his feet instead. I had to grab him to keep him from falling.” Kareem rubbed his eyes again. After a few seconds he continued. “He was burning up. I said that was it and brought him here. He’s got pneumonia. They say it’s common after bypass surgery.”
Janiyah let out a heavy breath. A weight lifted from her shoulders and she clutched her chest. “But he can take medicine for that and be okay, right? I was afraid … his heart was failing again.”
“They’re treating him for it. He may be here for a few days depending on his response.”
Aaron rushed into the waiting room. The twists on his head were pointed in various directions as if he’d run his hands through them repeatedly. Janiyah rushed over to hug her brother. He tightly squeezed her shoulders. “What happened?”
He stepped away and walked to Kareem who started the story again. She was about to turn to them, when Freddy stepped into the waiting room. He looked so good in his dark grey shirt and pants that it hurt her chest. His light brown eyes stared at her with uncertainty before he held out his hand.
She didn’t care about their breakup or the reasons they couldn’t be together. She only wanted to be in his arms. He didn’t hesitate to engulf her in his strong embrace. His shirt smelled like his laundry detergent, clean and fresh, but underneath she got the subtle hint of his cologne and the scent that was just him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, absorbing his strength as she let go of the fear that had clutched her heart on the way over.
He lowered his head and kissed her ear. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be okay.”
As soon as Kareem finished filling Aaron in on what happened, David rushed through the door. Janiyah backed out of Freddy’s embrace. Immediately she wanted to hold him again. The regret in his eye told her he thought the same. Liz came over and placed her arm through Janiyah’s. Leave it to her best friend to save her from throwing herself at Freddy. She let Liz lead her back to her brothers. The sound of Freddy’s footsteps followed them over.
David sank heavily into one of the waiting room chairs after Kareem gave him the update. He rubbed his chin before taking the movement over his closely cropped hair. It was the only sign of his agitation. He still looked as if he’d stepped off a runway in his wrinkle free tan slacks and button up shirt rolled at the sleeves.
“Where’s Mom?” Janiyah asked.
“She’s in the room with Dad.” The corner of Kareem’s mouth lifted. “He kicked me out for bringing him in.”
Both David and Aaron laughed softly.
“Just like Pops,” David said.
Janiyah lifted her head. “I want to see him.”
“He looks pretty bad,” Kareem said, leveling her with a hard stare.
Her lower lip trembled. Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked rapidly to hold them back. Her dad would kick her out if she showed one sign of crying.
“I can handle it.” Her voice shook.
Aaron gav
e her a sad smile. “You don’t have to see him now. You can wait a few more minutes.”
She shook her head. “No, if I wait I’ll imagine all types of things and I really will break down into tears.”
“All of us can go,” Aaron said.
David sucked his teeth. “Do you really want the man to go ballistic? Let Janiyah go first, then we’ll go.”
Aaron and Kareem exchanged looks then nodded. “Go ahead and check on Dad,” Aaron said.
“What room?”
“Seventeen twenty-three,” Kareem said.
She gave Liz a hug. “You don’t have to wait on me. But I know you will,” she said before Liz could reply.
“You know me so well. I’ll get you some Doritos out of the vending machine,” Liz said.
“Thanks.” Janiyah turned to Freddy. “Please don’t go.”
He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “I won’t.”
With one last look at her brothers, she headed down the hall to her dad’s room. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. With shaky hands, she opened the door and went in.
Her dad lay in the bed; her mom sat in the chair next to it. Their hands were clasped together as they watched the movie on the television. His eyes left the TV when she came in. They were glassy and bright from his fever. There was a grey tint beneath his dark skin which contrasted with the stark white sheets.
Tears instantly sprang in her eyes. They rolled down her cheek. Frantically she wiped at them, but it was useless as more replaced them.
Her dad’s brows drew together. “What are you crying for? It’s just a touch of pneumonia.” Instead of the strong voice she was used to, he sounded hoarse and tired.
A touch of pneumonia. Of course he would say something that foolish. What in the world was a touch of pneumonia anyway?
Her dad could be as archaic as a cave man, but she didn’t care. He was the man who’d raised her, was always there for her, and loved her. If he wanted to view her as his baby girl even when she was fifty, he could, as long as he stayed around.
More tears came. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to make sure … you were okay. I’ll leave.” She turned to the door and fumbled with the handle.
“Come here, girl,” her dad’s scratchy voice said.
She spun around and hurried to the bed. Gently she sat on the edge and wrapped her arms around her dad. Sobs wracked her body. Her tears soaked his hospital gown. He felt frail beneath her.
Her dad. Frail.
The strongest man she knew. The man who used to lift her easily to carry her on his shoulders and scared men away with a look when she was in college now rubbed her hair with shaky weak hands. It was too much to bear; she cried harder.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”
Eventually her sobs subsided. She was vaguely aware of her mom getting up and walking out. She continued to hold her dad, not wanting to let him go.
“I know you’re fine, Daddy,” she said.
He squeezed her shoulder. “Just fine.”
She lifted and lowered her head before closing her eyes and praying that their words would be true. A few minutes later he made her sit up.
“I’m proud of you, Janiyah,” he said.
With a shaky laugh, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I think the fever has gotten to you. I quit my job and broke up with Freddy, remember? You were right. I’m too impulsive.”
He rested his hot hand on hers. “I can sell a car to a complete stranger and know exactly what to say, but when it comes to my family my words are never right. I realize now that what I said sounded a lot like I didn’t think you were smart enough to run Henderson Automotive. But that’s not what I think. Running the company would have crushed everything that makes you special.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re my baby girl, and I’ve spoiled you and indulged you because it meant you would always be my little girl. I know you got that job to prove a point, but you didn’t need to. I always knew you were smart, and that you could do whatever you put your mind to. But being in charge of the company, dealing with the headaches, the quotas from the factory, the personnel issues, it would have smothered you. I watched it slowly drain the life out of David; I couldn’t imagine it doing the same to you.”
She tried to make sense of what he’d just said. Thought back to when he first said he was selling Henderson Automotive. He’d said she couldn't do it, yes, but he’d never explained exactly what he meant by that. Was that because he was afraid that it would take something away from her? That she’d grow resentful in the same way Kareem, and to some extent, David had?
“I thought you thought I was stupid, or silly, or a joke or something.”
“My kid? Stupid?” He let out a hoarse laugh. “Impossible. I’ve always been proud of you. I know you think I’m old fashioned, and maybe I am. But one thing I love about you is that you know yourself. You’re creative and have found ways to channel that. You’re my beautiful little girl, and I love you.”
Fresh tears cropped up. It was the first time her dad had ever said he was proud of her. Everything he’d said, combined with the knowledge that he was giving her a confession from his hospital bed, sent all of her emotions on a tailspin.
“Don’t start crying,” he said with mock sternness. “Or I’ll kick you out.”
She leaned over and hugged him. “I’d like to see you try and kick me out. Remember, I get my stubbornness from you.”
CHAPTER 30
Janiyah’s dad left the hospital several days later after his fever broke and his lungs cleared up. The family moved about in a frenzy during his checkout and subsequent re-settling back in the home. Fredrick stayed by Janiyah’s side the entire time even though they hadn’t talked about getting back together. He took some comfort that every time he tried to leave to give the family space she insisted he stay.
He entered the Hendersons’ kitchen and dropped the bags of groceries on the counter. Mrs. Henderson had insisted on making spaghetti for dinner. As soon as she’d said she needed a few things, he’d offered to go to the store so the family could spend time together.
“Thanks for going to the store, Fredrick,” Mrs. Henderson said, coming over and rifling through the bags on the counter.
“No problem at all.”
She smiled. “You’ve always been part of the family, and always will be even though things didn’t work out with you and Janiyah.”
Fredrick flinched at the finality in her tone. The idea of everything being over between him and Janiyah irked him as much as that incorrect formula in the spreadsheet from weeks ago had. “I was afraid that would make things awkward.”
Mrs. Henderson continued taking things out of the grocery bag. “I’ll admit when she first brought it up I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. I was afraid she was trying too hard to be something she wasn’t.”
“Join the club.” Fredrick sat at one of the chairs at the island.
Mrs. Henderson gave him a warm smile. “It’s not as if she really needed to. I’ve seen the way you looked at her for years. You were crazy about Janiyah even when she dove into whatever flight of fancy came her way.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I never tried to change her.”
“I know,” she said, patting his hand. “But you also didn’t tell her the reasons why you loved her for who she was. Maybe you ought to do that before you two reconcile.”
“I don’t know if we will.”
Loretta raised an eyebrow. “Then I feel sorry for the woman who tries to fill her shoes.”
Fredrick tried to imagine being with someone else and couldn’t. Even his relationships before Janiyah had always been haunted by her presence. It’s why he listened to her whenever she pointed out the other women’s faults. Each one was inconsequential in the scheme of things, but compared to Janiyah they seemed insurmountable.
He escaped to the sunroom on the back of the house. He took off his glasses and rubbed
the bridge of his nose. Guilt and regret bounced back and forth like a pendulum in his head.
Guilt: you took out your insecurity on her.
Regret: you let go of the one woman you’ve always wanted over some foolishness.
Guilt: you watched her try to change to make yourself feel better.
Regret: you knew you loved her as she was, and instead of admitting that, let it tear you two apart.
“Mind if I join you?”
Fredrick jumped from his internal guilt-and-regret tennis match as Roger approached. Once again he was startled by the change in the man’s appearance. He’d lost weight since the surgery and illness, but the fierce glint in his dark eyes was still there.
Fredrick slid on his glasses. “Um … sure, have a seat.”
He moved his chair aside and pushed out the one next to him. Roger chose the chair directly across from Fredrick.
“You’ve been awfully quiet since I got home,” Mr. Henderson said, staring straight into Fredrick’s eyes.
“Everyone’s been busy, making sure you’re okay.”
Mr. Henderson scoffed. “I’ll be fine.”
“I sure as hell hope so. You’re like a second father to me.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Roger said. “Even though you have a good dad of your own.”
“He’s a good man.” He meant the words. His dad was bad with money, and foolishly in love with his wife, but he’d never mistreated Fredrick or his sister.
“We all have our faults, and I know about Christopher’s. No need to look so shocked. The business world is a small one, and debts are hard to hide. You’re not your dad, Fredrick. If for one second I thought you wouldn’t be able to take care of my baby girl, I would have expressed my concern the moment you two started dating.”
“How did you know what bothered me?”
“I watch people. You have to if you’re going to sell a person a car worth thousands of dollars. You know the ones who can handle the payments and those who can’t. You can handle them. Remember that when you try and get her back.”
Fredrick looked toward the door leading back into the house. He imagined Janiyah in the kitchen pestering the crap out of her mom while she cooked, her brothers lounging around the den laughing and joking. If they were together, she’d give him that sexy smile that indicated she was thinking of them making love. It would be so similar to other evenings he’d spent with them, but also drastically different because the woman in the room he’d always wanted would actually be his.
Just My Type Page 21