Imitation of Wife

by La Jill Hunt

  “Yes. Like I told you, I think he should really consider Burke and everything it has to offer. He and I are traveling to visit my mother next weekend, and I’m sure we’ll have some one-on-one time without any distractions.”

  “That sounds great. If you like, I can email you some talking points that you can discuss with him. And you know you can call me if either of you has any questions or concerns about anything.”

  “I appreciate that. Who knows, maybe we can tag team him and get this thing done.” Tricia laughed, then gave him her email address.

  “Sounds like a plan. I’ll be waiting on standby for your call,” Everett said. “But you guys have a safe trip and enjoy the time with your mother. I’m glad Tarik is getting some family time in before he goes off to school.”

  “Yeah,” Tricia said. “I’ll speak with you soon.”

  She ended the call and went back to finding the perfect gift for her mother. Her phone chimed, and she looked down and saw the email that Everett sent.

  Chapter 13

  Janelle

  “Special delivery,” Holly, one of the office administrators, said as she walked into Janelle’s office. In her hands was a vase that held a huge bouquet of flowers.

  “Whoa,” Janelle commented as Holly placed the vase on Janelle’s desk. “Thank you.”

  “Enjoy. Don’t forget the meeting in fifteen minutes, conference room west,” Holly said, pausing to admire the bouquet once more before exiting.

  Janelle smiled at the arrangement of red roses, pink lilies, and greenery. She loved fresh flowers and was impressed by Sherrod’s thoughtfulness. Her grin was wide as she picked up her desk phone and dialed his number.

  “Thank you,” she said when he answered. “They are beautiful.”

  “Wow, you got them already?” he asked. “They said it would take a couple of hours.”

  “Yeah, they were just delivered to my desk,” Janelle said as she leaned over and sniffed one of the roses. “I guess if I was thinking about cancelling on you tomorrow night, I definitely can’t now.”

  “You weren’t gonna be able to do that anyway.” He laughed. “I would’ve shown up on your doorstep and made you come to dinner with me.”

  “Sir, I do believe that would be considered stalking, kidnapping, and false imprisonment. You trying to go to jail, huh?” Janelle giggled.

  “Trust me, I believe you are definitely worth serving time,” Sherrod said sexily, causing Janelle to blush.

  “Well, I have to get back to work. Thank you again.”

  “I gotta go push these pills myself. I’m glad you like them, though,” he told her. “I’ll call you later.”

  Janelle took another sniff, grabbed her laptop off her desk, then headed off to the staff meeting down the hall, still smiling. She didn’t have a clue what was discussed, because the entire time she was in the conference room, she kept thinking about Sherrod and their date.

  “Who’s got you cheesing like that?” Dexter purposely bumped her as he passed after the meeting was over.

  “Why can’t I be smiling because it’s Friday?” she asked.

  “Because even though they just announced that we would possibly be working mandatory OT for the next two weeks, that smile hasn’t left your face.”

  “OT means more money in my paycheck. So that makes me happy.” Janelle shrugged.

  “Lying heifer,” Dexter said. “And what happened to our lunch date this week?”

  They arrived at Janelle’s office, and both stopped and stared. Sitting right beside the bouquet of flowers that Janelle received earlier was another bouquet. The second vase held another arrangement that was equal in both size and beauty.

  “Okay, now I see why you’re cheesing,” Dexter said, walking in before she did. “Two bouquets. You must be showing someone some special attention to deserve all of these.”

  “I’m not showing anyone special anything. It’s probably a mistake. They brought the first one earlier than they were supposed to anyway.” Janelle pushed past him as she walked behind her desk.

  “Well, let’s see who sent these impressive mistakes.” Dexter reached into the second bouquet and took out a small card.

  “Give it.” Janelle tried to snatch it from him, but he quickly moved away from her reach.

  “Ah, ah, gotta be quicker than that.” He laughed. “‘Nellie-Nelle.’ Okay, that’s cute.”

  Janelle’s mouth fell open at the nickname that only one person had for her. She reached for the card again. “Dex.”

  “‘Thank you. I’m sorry. I miss you. Ty-Boogie,’” Dexter read aloud. “Ty Boogie. That definitely isn’t teacher bae’s name. His name starts with a J.”

  “Shit,” Janelle whispered as she reached for the card in the other vase, but once again, Dexter beat her to it. She folded her arms and leaned against the edge of her desk, waiting for him to read what it said.

  “‘Janelle.’ Okay, this one is a little more formal.” Dexter cleared his throat. “‘Thank you for giving me another chance. I promise you won’t regret it. Rod.’”

  “Shit,” Janelle said again.

  “Well, my my my. Two admirers, both of whom are very polite and eloquent. Care to explain?” Dexter asked, putting both cards back into their original places.

  “Not really.”

  “Well, you’re not smiling anymore, so I’m thinking these flowers aren’t a good thing.”

  “One is. The other definitely isn’t. But I need to make a call, and I need some privacy,” Janelle said. She hadn’t spoken to Titus since she called to tell him about Tank being at church. She’d ignored his texts, phone calls, and even the email he sent. Her talk with Sherrod caused her to really think about her future and what she wanted, and the reality was that Titus couldn’t be a part of it. She loved him, but she couldn’t continue whatever it was they were doing. The last thing she needed right now was his sending flowers and cards, trying to get her attention. She had to nip it in the bud. Now.

  “I understand. I’m outta here anyway. Enjoy your weekend, Nellie-Nelle. You still owe me lunch. Hell, we’ll probably need two lunch dates to discuss all of this.”

  “You’re right,” Janelle agreed. “And please close the door. I’m probably about to be really loud.”

  Dexter closed the door, and Janelle quickly dialed Titus’s number. He barely got the word “hello” out before she was already speaking.

  “What are you doing, Titus? Why would you do this?” she groaned into the phone.

  “What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?” he asked innocently.

  “You know what you did. And you’ve gotta stop. I told you this.” Janelle sat in her chair.

  “Nellie, I just wanted to say thanks for finding Tank, that’s all. And I know they’re your favorite,” Titus told her.

  “You didn’t have to do that. I’m serious, Titus.”

  “I know, and I get it. But I was thinking maybe we could do a day trip next weekend. Drive a couple of hours and hang out, get a bite to eat. What you think? Just you and me,” Titus said.

  There was once a point in time when Janelle would’ve been excited and quickly accepted his offer. Quick trips with Titus were so much fun, and they enjoyed the brief getaways when he could sneak off. Oddly enough, Janelle wasn’t excited.

  “No, Titus. We can’t go anywhere next weekend or any other weekend. I love you, but I can’t do this anymore. Take care,” Janelle told him.

  “Nellie.” Titus sighed.

  “Bye, Titus.” She ended the call, then she did something she’d never done. She blocked him. It was time.

  * * *

  It seemed like it had been ages since Janelle had hung out with her girls at the nail spa. It felt good to laugh and joke with them. It was like old times as she sat with her feet in the warm water of the bubbling foot tub of the chair as it massaged her back, sipping champagne with Natalie sitting on one side of her and Nivea on the other. The three of them caught up on gossip, discussed reality televisi
on, and tossed out ideas for their next girls’ trip.

  “I’m telling you, we should go to Carnival in Brazil,” Natalie suggested.

  “I don’t know about Brazil,” Nivea said.

  “Why not?” Janelle asked. “Carnival does sound like fun. I was watching Lil’ Kim and her friends on that show Girls Trip. They had a blast.”

  “First of all, they chartered a damn yacht. We ain’t balling like that,” Nivea pointed out. “And the number of dudes in Brazil with HIV is alarming. Higher than most other countries.”

  “What?” Janelle gasped. “How do you know that, and more importantly, why?”

  “Research.” Nivea smiled.

  “Who researches that?” Natalie asked. We looked at one another, then answered her question simultaneously. “Nivea.”

  “What?” Nivea shrugged as if her knowing the HIV rate of males in Brazil was as common as knowing the temperature outside.

  “Weren’t you and Jarvis talking about going to Brazil a little while ago?” Natalie asked.

  Janelle cut her eyes over at her and said, “We talked about a lot of things a while ago.”

  “So, y’all are done?” Nivea leaned toward Janelle and asked.

  “Yeah, we are.” Janelle nodded. “It was fun while it lasted.”

  “Damn, Jarvis was fine,” Natalie said for the hundredth time as she shook her head.

  “He’s not the only fine guy on the planet, Nat. There will be another one coming along, I’m sure. I’m sorry, friend. I know you enjoyed looking at him.”

  “I did. And I’m glad you understood my constant staring at him.” Natalie laughed and raised her glass. “To Jarvis: you had a good run.”

  “Here here,” Janelle said, tapping her glass against Natalie’s.

  Nivea held on to her glass. She looked at Janelle and asked, “So, I guess Titus is back on your radar now since you and Jarvis are done?”

  Janelle frowned, slightly offended and caught off guard by her question. “What? No. Why would you think that?”

  “I’m just wondering, that’s all.” She shrugged.

  Janelle had pondered mentioning her date with Sherrod while they were all together, but decided not to. There was something off about Nivea. She was engaged in the conversations, but she seemed bothered.

  “Is something going on with you, Niv? You okay?” Natalie asked, confirming that Janelle wasn’t the only one sensing a hint of an attitude.

  “No, why would you ask me that?” Nivea said. “I’m fine. As a matter of fact, I’m better than I’ve been in a long time. This pedicure is everything.”

  “Just checking.” Natalie and Janelle exchanged a look of confusion.

  “Hey, Nivea,” another customer said as she walked by. Then she stopped and said, “Girl, I wanted to ask you, where did you get that jacket you had on Sunday at Brutti’s? It was so cute.”

  Nivea looked at the woman and said, “Some online boutique. Thanks.”

  “Brutti’s? You were at Brutti’s Sunday?” Natalie sat up and asked.

  “We texted you and asked you to come with us to brunch,” Janelle said. “You didn’t even respond.”

  “I went in there to pick up a to-go order for me and my cousin. I told y’all I was with her. It was before y’all went anyway,” Nivea explained. “Dag, y’all act like I can’t eat nowhere without y’all.”

  “That’s not what we’re saying at all,” Janelle said. Her fun time with her girls had gone left real quick, and she was ready to go home and get ready for her date.

  * * *

  “Damn, you look amazing. Definitely worth kidnapping,” Sherrod said when Janelle opened the door. She had chosen to wear a black bodysuit covered with a colorful, oversized cardigan and long black boots. Her normally curly hair was straightened and hung slightly past her shoulders. She’d had her eyebrows shaped while she was at the nail spa and even had some lashes applied. Not only did she look good, but she felt better than she had in a long time. Sherrod looked equally as nice in a pair of black slacks and a thick cable-knit sweater.

  “You’re looking quite dapper yourself. Would you like a glass of wine before we leave?”

  “Maybe we can save it for a nightcap instead?” He hugged her. Between the depth of his voice, the warmth of his arms, and the recognizable scent of his Dior Sauvage cologne, she was instantly turned on.

  “You’re that confidant that I’m gonna invite you back for a nightcap?”

  “I am.” He nodded.

  “We’ll see how the night goes.” She winked and followed him out the door.

  “Trust me, I’m sure it’s gonna go great.” He took her by the hand.

  “Where are we going anyway?” she asked when they got into his car.

  “Somewhere I know you’re going to like and I’ve been wanting to go for a while. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.”

  Chapter 14

  Sylvia

  The dining room of Maison Brouchets was full. The room held over sixty tables, and there wasn’t an empty one. On the far wall was a small stage with a pianist, violinist, and percussionist who entertained the diners with softly played eclectic mixtures of jazz, old-school R&B, and classic rock songs. The ambiance was just as enjoyable as the food and definitely worth the price, which was not cheap.

  “Would you like dessert?” the waitress asked as she cleared the dishes from the table.

  Sylvia looked at Garry. He’d invited her to dinner and brought her to one of her favorite restaurants in order for them to talk, but they hadn’t discussed anything important. They both seemed to be avoiding the inevitable.

  “I could go for something sweet. What about you, Syl?” he said.

  “How could we not indulge in some crème brûlée?” Sylvia nodded.

  “Two orders of crème brûlée, please. Oh, and two coffees,” Garry told her.

  “Coming right up,” the waitress said.

  “Coffee?” Sylvia commented. Garry rarely drank coffee unless he was extremely tired, and never at night.

  Garry shrugged. “I could use a pick-me-up after all those carbs I just ate.”

  “You have a point,” Sylvia told him. “I ate more than you did.”

  “I think we’re about even.”

  Sylvia looked at him. “Garry, we’ve been dancing around the conversation we’re supposed to be having.”

  Garry took a deep sigh and said, “I know. I guess because I’ve been enjoying this so much that I didn’t want the good vibes to end.”

  “I get that. But who knows, maybe it will be positive,” Sylvia said in an effort to ease the anticipation.

  “True. Well, I know you said you have something to tell me, so why don’t you go first?”

  “I’d actually like for you to speak first.”

  “Okay. I know I’ve apologized, but I feel like I need to say it again. I’m sorry for the situation I put you in and the damage that it’s caused our family. I never wanted to hurt you or Peyton. I love you both so much. You are my world, and so is Jordan.”

  “Garry.” The last thing Sylvia wanted to hear was the same spill he’d said to her over the past few weeks.

  “Wait, I’m not done. Actually, I’m just getting started. I was wrong for expecting you to just forgive me and take in a child you never knew about, my child, and go on with life as usual as if my actions were that minuscule, which they weren’t. I lied to you for years, and you didn’t deserve that. I understand why you’re frustrated with me, and I don’t want to make things any worse. I’ve done enough damage. You asked me to leave, Syl, and I get it. So as much as I don’t want to, I know that it’s best. I’ve found a place to stay.”

  The waitress brought the dessert and coffee that Sylvia now no longer wanted. She stared at the sugar-crusted top of the pudding, not knowing how to react to what Garry said. A million things had run across her mind when he said he had something to tell her, but this wasn’t one of them.

  “Syl?” Garry called her name softly.

 
“Wow.” Sylvia finally found her voice. “Okay. Wow. I mean, that’s good news, I guess, huh?”

  “I wouldn’t call it good news. But it’s news.”

  “Congratulations. Where will you be moving to?” Sylvia tried to sound pleasant, but it was a struggle. Granted, she’d been the one to ask him to move out, but she wasn’t expecting it to happen, at least not so soon. She was bewildered at the reality of her husband actually leaving their home.

  “I’m actually going to move into Randi’s place,” Garry said.

  “Randi’s? That’s four hours away.” Sylvia frowned. “I didn’t even know that was an option.”

  “It’s actually Jordan’s place. Her mom left it to her. I was going to rent it out, but now it makes sense to just go there and take her home,” he explained. “I know it’s a little far, but I’m still—”

  “Take her home?”

  “Yeah. It’s been a difficult transition for her, and you know how she’s been complaining about wanting to go back to her old school and her friends. I was thinking maybe—”

  “You were thinking, you decided,” Sylvia murmured. “You still don’t get it.”

  “What?”

  “I didn’t even know anything about Randi leaving the house to Jordan. You haven’t told me about her leaving Jordan anything. I’ve been one of this child’s main caretakers since the day her mother was buried. Don’t you think this is something we need to discuss?” Sylvia told him. “You don’t even have to answer it. We both know you didn’t.”

  “Syl.”

  “You know what else you didn’t think about? You didn’t think about how this would affect our entire family. You wanted to do what was easiest instead of what’s best,” Sylvia said, reaching for packs of sugar to put in her coffee. She was anxious and needed something to do. Sweetening her coffee seemed like an opportunity for her to utilize her hands instead of wrapping them around her husband’s neck. “It’s easier for you to take Jordan and go four hours away instead of dealing with our issues and fighting for your marriage.”

  “I didn’t know if that was even an option, Syl. You told me to leave.” Garry sat back in his chair.

  “Did you ask? Did you come to me to discuss any alternatives to your leaving?” Sylvia looked up at him. Garry shook his head, and she said, “Exactly. You hate having difficult conversations.”