–Wallace
Tracee looked over her shoulder to see Charis reading Wallace’s email.
“Tracee, what do you have planned for Wallace?”
“No offense, but I don’t want to tell you anything. I know you’re upset now, but I’m trying to maintain us while you figure whatever that is out.”
“Bump that. According to this email, he was just using me. So whatever you need, I’m down.”
Tracee leaned her body back and to the side in surprise at Charis’ response. A smile emerged upon her face.
“Well, all right then. Let the plot to take over Washington began.”
They high-fived.
“And I know just how we can set it out,” Charis said bringing the laptop closer to the printer. “Safety off, let’s do this.”
####
It took almost a month and several conversations, but they were finally ready to put their plan into action.. With a majority of students going home for the summer, Charis and Tracee agreed it would be best for her to meet Wallace on campus. She asked him to meet her at the student union.
Charis was nervous, but she really wanted everything to go well. As she saw him approaching, she sat up straight and smiled.
“Hey baby!” Gag.
“Well don’t you look gorgeous,” he said, looking around.
Charis joined him in his search and said, “Looking for someone?”
“No. It’s just been an odd day,” he said.
“Oh, how so?” Charis quizzed.
“For starters, Tracee greeted me this morning, as if nothing happened.”
“Did something happen between you two?”
“Oh, nah. I just don’t think she likes me very much.”
Charis nodded. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as their plan started to come together.
“Hey, Wallace,” Danielle said smoothly, as she crept up from behind, taking Wallace off guard.
“Hey, heeey. How are you?” Wallace looked drained.
“Good. Aren’t you going to give me a hug?”
Wallace shrugged in Charis’ direction, but stood to oblige Danielle.
As he leaned in for a long embrace, Charis quickly called Tracee on her cell to set up the second part of their trap.
“Hi, I’m Charis.”
“Charis? I’ve heard so much about you. It was really cool of you to help Wallace with his presentation for the interview. With your help, I’m sure he’ll get that promotion.”
“I didn’t help him. Outside of showing him love and affection. Were you giving me credit for your work, honey?”
“Honey? You’re confused. He only befriended you to get Tracee’s presentation. Right, Wallace?”
“No, we’ve been dating. He’s been lying to you about who I am.”
“I don’t think so,” Danielle uttered.
“Whoa. Let’s everyone calm down,” Wallace stated. “Dani, why don’t you go stand over there while I handle this.”
Danielle did as she was told, but not far enough that she would miss the show.
“Charis, you’re a great friend, but you’re not my girl. You and Tracee don’t know your place. What I look like having Tracee as a boss?”
Charis smiled and moved closer.
“I understand. A woman can’t be a leader. You did what you had to do.”
“Exactly. I guess you do understand.”
“So, how’d you do it?”
“Do what?”
“How’d you get Tracee’s presentation?”
“Oh that.” He laughed. “A leader knows not to leave their laptop open for anyone to steal all of their hard work. That’s just stupid.”
“So do you consider us stupid as well, Mr. Washington?” Dean Witherspoon said while holding up Tracee’s cellphone.
“Of course not, sir. I was merely telling Char—,” he paused when realization suddenly hit him as he saw Tracee, the Director of Human Resources, and campus security behind the Dean.
“Stan, come on. You know I’m right. She left herself open,” Wallace stated.
“It’s Dean Witherspoon, Mr. Washington.” He frowned, showing his disapproval. “Tracee was in her home, where she should’ve been safe to do that and not have to worry about schmucks like you. Ms. Hughes, you have our deepest apologies and we would love to hear that presentation on next Monday.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate the opportunity.”
Turning towards Wallace, Dean Witherspoon said, “Oh and Mr. Washington, you’re fired.”
“Actually, sir, he’d make a great assistant. What do you say, Wallace? Want to work for me?”
He gritted his teeth. “Let’s go, Dani.”
“Nah…your services aren’t needed here either.”
Tracee laughed in Wallace’s face as the three woman walked away. She was about to get the job of her dreams, and though this position was in a man’s world, she knew that she could play right along with the big boys. If they needed a reference, she would just have them call Wallace Washington.
Michelle Mitchell is a Georgia native and graduate of Georgia Southern University. She is the author of, Truth Is… released under the Jacquelin Thomas Presents imprint for Brown Girls Books. For more information about Michelle Mitchell, please visit www.authormichellemitchell.com.
Intuition
By Karen E. Williams
My mind was telling me something was wrong. Johnathan and I had our third fight. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want me to go to the clinic with him. The surgical procedure on his foot had been scheduled for over a month, and my plan had been to take the day off. He told me not to come. Just go to work. He had it taken care of. My cell phone rang as I prepared for work.
“Diane, this is Aunt Mary.”
I held the phone with one hand as I slid my keys into my uniform pocket. The office that I managed was five miles from the clinic and would give me time on my lunch break to go see Johnathan. My boss allowed me to make up the hours. Nights and weekends, I did medical billing work. “How you doing?”
“I’m fine. I was just wondering what time is the surgery?”
“Nine o’clock,” I said and looked at the wall clock in the kitchen. My clock read 7:49 a.m. and my coffee was brewing on the counter. While I talked, I went to the cabinet to get sugar.
“Will you give me a call when you two get there and let me know what’s happening?”
Outside, the sky darkened and threatened rain. “Well, Johnny already left.”
“By himself?”
“He didn’t want me to come.” I tried to sound nonchalant. “He said it is a minor procedure and that I should go ahead to work.”
“Baby, I don’t feel right about this. You should be with your husband.”
“Aunt Mary, I don’t think he wants me there.”
“Nonsense. He’s just being a man. Trying to be strong and not worry you. You go on to that hospital and call me. Please?”
“Only for you, Aunt Mary.” I tried to smile, hoping she could not sense my hurt through the phone. I pushed the END button, and then called in to work.
After having my coffee, I left for the hospital. Johnathan and I saw very little of each, with me working all hours and he starting his business. He said the business was for us, so we could retire in style. All I saw was money leaving as fast as it came in. My biggest purchase was the new fully loaded Escalade for my husband. The vehicle cost almost as much as our house that we bought twenty years ago and I had only rode in it twice. He expressed his love for the car with weekly detailing. He said he needed it because clients judged the car you drove. My 2000 Honda Civic had seen better days and so had I.
Arriving at the front desk, I recognized the physician’s assistant. “Could you tell me where Johnathan Greene is? He’s having a procedure on his foot this morning? I’m his wife.”
She looked at me as if my hair was on fire.
“Is something wrong?” I asked. My pulse quickened and I placed both of my hands o
n the counter to try and see Johnathan’s name.
“He is,” she said, staring at the chart, “being prepped.” She returned my concern with a smile. “You can wait for the doctor in the waiting room.”
“Thank you.” I followed the yellow line that led to the blue line that would take me to the waiting room.
The room had rows of chairs that lined all but one wall. On the bare wall was a coffee station that housed paper cups, napkins, creamers, and sugar. A flat screen hovered above the station. The only other occupant when I arrived was an older man. I sat down across from the entrance and clasped my hands. I watched reruns of “Divorce Court” for a while and remembered that I needed to call Aunt Mary. Although she was Johnathan’s aunt, she welcomed me into the family and treated me just like a daughter. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed.
“Aunt Mary, they said he was in the prep room, so I couldn’t see him. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“You want me to come wait with you?”
Adjusting myself in the chair, I moved my purse to the empty one next to me. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I got a meeting at the church, but I’ll come after that.”
I shook my head. “Okay, I’ll keep an eye out for you.”
Moments later, an attractive woman walked into the room. She looked toward me, then strutted toward the middle of the room.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and a chill ran through my body. Something wasn’t right. She tossed her dark weave over her shoulder like models did on commercials, pulled a compact out of her purse to check her lipstick before she sat down in the corner out of my line of vision. I waited a few minutes before I got up. At the coffee station, I poured a cup and then sat on the opposite end of the room where I could watch her. I also didn’t want Dr. Bradley to see me if he walked into the room.
An hour passed, while I tried to concentrate on the television screen. The woman I watched had dozed off. A nurse came into the room and called my husband’s name. I didn’t move. I wanted to see if my intuition was right. The woman didn’t move either. The nurse called his name again. I took a deep breath and began to relax. I was acting silly.
The nurse spoke again, “Is there anyone here for Johnathan Greene?”
Before I could rise, the woman jumped up. “Did you say Johnathan Greene?”
“Yes, the doctor can give you an update now.”
She followed the nurse out the door and I followed both of them. As we approached Dr. Bradley, he smiled my way. “Mrs. Greene.”
“Yes,” I said and watched the woman’s eyes dance around, trying to avoid looking at me.
“And who is this?” Dr. Bradle glanced at the woman and returned his gaze to me.
“That’s a good question. Who are you?”
“I–, I–, I’m just a friend, friend of the family.”
“That’s funny, seeing that I’m family and all, I don’t remember meeting you.”
“Well, I used to date Johnny’s brother.”
She called him Johnny. Such an amateur. Dismissing her would be easy. “Oh yeah, which one?”
“I haven’t seen him in years.”
“Well then, it must be Jason.” I kept my expression blank, no reaction.
“Yeah, Jason. We were real close a while back.”
That answer would have been okay except that Johnathan did not have a brother named Jason. I willed myself to remain calm. I did not want to cause a scene in the hospital. Have everybody thinking I didn’t have any home training. My mother always told me that you never deal with the woman unless she’s a relative. The relative should know better. But I thought Johnny would know better or at least know me. Obviously, I would have to remind him just who I was. My blood pressure was rising and the only way I knew to release it would be to act ignorant on his ass when we got home.
Dr. Bradley looked between my face and the woman’s. “The procedure was successful. We removed the embedded toenail. There are no signs of infection. Mr. Greene is in recovery and he should be ready to leave in about thirty minutes. So someone needs to drive around to the Receiving door and pick him up.” He turned and left.
“Did you drive my husband here?”
“He said that his wife had to work.”
“You drove my car?”
“No, he left the Escalade at my house. I drove him here in my car.”
“Well, you can go. I got things under control.”
She backed away, turned and hurried down the hall. She looked afraid. I couldn’t imagine what Jonathan must have said about me.
I took in big gulps of air and blew them out. I stared at the floor. I was not going cry, act a fool, or cause a need for security to escort me out of the building. I started following the blue line when I heard a voice. I looked up into the concerned eyes of Aunt Mary.
“Diane, baby, how’s Johnny?”
“Everything’s fine,” I said. “I’m going around to get the car. Why don’t you come with me?”
“Okay.”
Aunt Mary asked about the surgical procedure, and was delighted that Johnathan would be able to go home. I managed head nods, and one-word responses as we drove around to the entrance where we were to pick him up. My skin felt tight and I sucked hard on my bottom lip to keep the emotions from bubbling out. The sky darkened with black-gray storm clouds to match my mood. How could he do something like that to me? I had been working two jobs. I was paying for a brand new Escalade and struggling to make the monthly house payment. His business bought in little to nothing. We left the Civic parked near the entrance and waited. Moving toward us, I saw the wheelchair with my husband. He didn’t realize who we were until Aunt Mary called his name. I smiled.
His expression morphed into fear. “Oh no!” he said.
“What’s wrong?” Aunt Mary looked at me, and then approached Johnathan.
“I can’t go with her.” He struggled to get out of the wheelchair and return to the safety of the hospital. “She’ll kill me.”
I remained smiling, but walked to the driver side of the car. My icy glare had him shook. I wasn’t thinking about killing him, yet.
“Baby, what’s the matter?” Aunt Mary’s concerned eyes widened.
He had no right upsetting that sweet woman. That’s all right, Aunt Mary. I’m gonna get him good.
“No, I won’t go. You can’t release me to her,” Johnathan said to the nurse pushing his wheelchair.
The nurse gave him some papers and walked away. Another nurse and Aunt Mary tried to calm Johnny down.
“She gonna hurt me bad,” he pleaded.
“Boy, you talking crazy. That’s Diane, your wife. Diane would never hurt you.”
I kept my face neutral. “I’m gonna take real good care of you when we get home.”
“See Aunt Mary? I can hear it in her voice.”
“Aunt Mary, I’m gonna go start the car. It must be the pain killers,” I said, my tone calm.
Raindrops began to hit the windshield as I started the car and waited for my husband to get in. Aunt Mary followed behind with Johnathan in the wheelchair.
“I said, I’m not going. Call me a cab,” he said.
Aunt Mary looked deep into his eyes, as if she were trying to read his thoughts. “Johnathan, stop all this foolishness. Diane is going to take you home so you can rest.”
“Can’t I go home with you?” Johnathan gave her a puppy-dog look.
“Don’t you want to go home to your own bed?” Aunt Mary said. She looked confused and turned to me.
By that time, I was real tired of his shit. I began to pull away. Aunt Mary ran to the driver’s window. “What’s going on?”
I stopped and yelled out the window. “If he don’t want to go home, I can’t make him.”
“Just wait a minute, please.”
Aunt Mary went back to Johnny and talked with him for a few minutes. He must’ve acquiesced because he let her wheel him to the passenger side. He took his time easing into the sea
t, eyes trained on me. He sat as close to the passenger door as he could as if he needed to make a quick exit. We drove in silence until I felt my head was going to explode, or it could have been the rumble of the storm cloud above.
“How dare you?” I wouldn’t let the first tear drop.
“She’s just a friend.”
“Liar. You had that woman up there in my place.”
“I just needed someone there who wasn’t going to nag the hell out of me.”
“You disrespect me like that. What you think, I wasn’t gonna find out?”
“If you were doing your job, maybe…”
No he didn’t. No he didn’t just tell me if I was doing my job. For the last three years, I had been doing my job and his. Taking care of his monkey ass. Paying the bills while he started his business. I tried to compose myself, but the well of emotion threatened to drown me. Anger, Fear, Depression, Love, Hate, then Anger again. The tears ran and blinded my vision.
“I’m sorry,” he said and I could hear the hurt in his voice.
“Where is my car?”
“No, Diane. Let’s just go home.”
“Home? What makes you think you got a home to go to? I pay the mortgage there.” Sixteen years of marriage was circling down the drain. “Where is my car?”
Johnathan exhaled. “It’s our car and I am not taking you over there. Look, I’m tired. Why don’t you drop me at–”
“I’m only gonna ask one more time. That’s my car and I want to know where it is.”
Resigned to my determined mood, he pointed to the left. “Go east on Michigan.”
“How long this been going on?” I pushed down on the accelerator.
“I know you’re angry.”
He was actually trying to reason with me. “Angry? I’m way past angry.”
“Listen, baby,” he said and reached out to touch me.
I whipped my head in his direction and he huddled closer to the door frame. “Where am I going?”
“Turn right on Forest. Go to the middle of the block. The Escalade’s in the driveway.”
The Ex Chronicles Page 22