Lucy
“Well let’s get started, shall we?” Pastor Wallace was Grant and I’s appointed marriage counselor, he also was the one who performed our wedding ceremony. We meet up with him after Wednesday’s bible study in his church office. Grant and I took a seat as far away from each other as possible. Pastor Wallace was a good older preacher who wore bright colorful suits every Sunday. I felt comfortable talking with him because I knew his heart was in the right place. Me personally I couldn’t stand being in the same room with Grant but we needed to talk to someone and why not come to the church. Grant and I were sitting in silence as the session began to start. “So Brother and Sister Smith…how did we get here? It breaks my heart to see this happen being that I was one that brought this union together.” Grant grew intensely silent at the question but I wasn’t.
“Well Pastor Wallace, my husband has been having an affair with his boss’s assistant who happens to be carrying his child and now I want a divorce.” I said with a lot of sarcasm and a big smile at the both of them. Pastor Wallace gulped while Grant rolled his eyes and sat back on the couch. “Well ok …Brother Grant do you agree?” He looked at me and sat up. “Can I be honest Pastor?” He nodded. “Please do…it will get you out of her a lot faster.” “Well I think we were heading here way before the affair ever took place.” My eyes narrowed at him. “Why is that?” Pastor Wallace asked more perked up. “Well we have had a lot of problems throughout the years and instead of talking about them we have chosen to ignore them.” Grant shifted his gaze towards me. I choked on laughter. “Sister Lucy what’s wrong?”
Pastor Wallace asked. “Oh nothing, I just wanted to know what his cop out was going to be.” I continued to chuckle. “You think it was just another reason?” I shook my head. “There is no reason for infidelity just bull shit excuses. Excuse my language Pastor.” Grant began to rub that spot on the back of his head again while Pastor Wallace nodded. “So you didn’t see any problems in your marriage before this adultery?” Grant decided it was his turn to chuckle. “You would actually have to been in a marriage to see any problems that occur, Pastor.” I scowled at him while Pastor Wallace thought he was on to something. He leaned back in his seat. “Now what exactly do you mean Brother Grant?” Grant ignored my attitude and continued. “I mean ever since she became editor of this magazine nothing seems to matter anymore…It’s like our family took a back seat to shoes, parties, and make up.”
“That is not true.” I protested, how dare he say those things. “So you feel she neglected you in the sanctity of marriage?” Pastor Wallace said in his preaching voice. “Neglect isn’t a strong enough word, disown is more like it.” I was in disbelief. “Did you ever try to discuss this with her?” “Of course I did…But she does what she wants to do regardless about how I feel…Lucy practically has to schedule meetings with me and her son.” “So now I’m a bad mother.” I was infuriated now. Pastor Wallace intervened. “Sister Lucy, do you think Brother Grant made some valid points about your lack of wifely duties?” I laughed. “Since when does it matter what I think …if it is not what’s he wants to hear its wrong.” “What!” Grant exclaimed. “So you think… He dismisses… your feelings for his own fleshly desires.” Pastor Wallace broke in. I didn’t know whether he was counseling us or practicing on his preaching. “Of course he does and if I even try to protest he practically bullies me into doing it anyway.” Grant seemed taken back. “I bully you? Woman are you crazy?” “Yes you do….you practically forced me to have Greg.”
I yelled and then dead silence fell on the room. We stared at each other coldly at what just slipped out of my mouth. “So you didn’t want to have your baby?” Pastor Wallace decided to break the ice. I looked from Grant to him. “I preferred to wait till my career was settled……but big man over here.” I said pointing in Grants direction. “Just had to have a child at his convenience.” I turned back to look at him, Grant had a sour look on his face. “What made you change your mind?” I eased back with Grants glare still on me. “I caved… I got tired of fighting with him…I figured if I would just give him what he wanted then things would be ok…or he would at least mange to come at night.” Grant was trying to calm himself down. “What’s your take on this Brother Grant?” Pastor Wallace wondered. He shook his head. “I don’t know…I thought this is what you did when you get married, you start a family….If you cared more about your career you should have married it.”
He snarled at me. “Do you think I have spent my whole life in school getting a degree so I could cook, clean, and have your children. I would like to actually accomplish something in this world other than being Mrs. Grant Smith.” Grant turned to me. “For some reason I thought you would grasp the concept that there are more important things in life rather than social climbing.” I laughed.
“Coming from the man who refused to marry me until he got finished social climbing.”
“I worked so hard so I could afford to take care of you.”
“Well I don’t need you to take care of me.” We weren’t getting nowhere. just yelling back and forth, I felt like this was such a waste of time. Pastor Wallace nodded in the mist of everything it seemed as something was brewing in his mind. “It seems to me… that there’s a pattern here….Whenever there’s a con-front-tation of some sort… you Brother Grant seem to enforce your opinion while Sister Lucy, you seem to agree to his terms to avoid further conflict…..”
Pastor Wallace stood up and paced the floor. “and when there are signs of protest Brother Grant you tend to act out by staying out late, emotionally disconnect, and etc…you could almost call it a form of punishment.” Grant looked confused. My gazed shot to him. “Is that what you did by having an affair…because Sister Lucy wouldn’t cater to your needs?” I looked dead at him. “Is that why you did it …you thought you were punishing me by sleeping with her?” Grant tried to protest but didn’t know if he could. I stood to my feet and couldn’t fight the tears swelling in my eyes. “I can’t believe you…you despicable bastard what the hell is wrong with you?” Just as I was about to strike him he quickly grabbed my hand. “I’m sorry….I’m so sorry. You got to believe me baby.” I snatched away from him, “You are pathetic and worthless….I can’t believe I married you.” I ran for the exit and shot out of there. I couldn’t keep still, I was damn near vomiting. I was in terrible pain right now and Grant was my worst enemy. It would be a cold day in hell before I saw him again.
Chapter 17
God why me
Lucy
I was a wreck the following day at work, my clothes were a mess, my face was puffy from crying, and I looked nauseous. I couldn’t believe all the things I was finding out about the man who claimed to love me. I sat at my desk struggling to breathe trying to digest all the drama that continually appeared in my life. I felt a warm hand on my back and just for a moment my pain subsided. “Oh honey you look awful.” Megan said with such a look of concern. I looked at her beautiful face and well put together black attire and felt so inadequate in my current state. I showed a weak smile that was unable to fight through the constant flow of tears. “Thanks Meg, you always know what to say.” Ignoring my sarcasm she pulled up a chair and sat closer to me. “Lucy come on, you may need to see a doctor.” I continued to wipe my weeping eyes. “I have seen enough doctors to last me a life time.”
Megan shook her head trying to get through the wall I had put up around myself. “Honey this situation with you and Grant is not only weighing you down emotionally…its taking its toll on you physically….you look ill.” I pulled my hair back and tried to fix myself up but no matter of straightening could fix anything. After months of feeling alone and uncared for I did my best to stay strong but now I felt as if I was losing my mind. Megan took my hands in hers trying to let me know I had a friend. “Lucy you are obviously under severe stress and it’s getting out of control you need to see a doctor.” I nodded my head and tried to maintain my composure. “Ok….ok I just need….I need help.” I broke d
own in her arms no longer able to hide my misery. Why Lord, why would you do this to me…why would you let the only man I have ever loved stray….this pain is unbearable and I fear I won’t be able to stand much longer. Please God take it away from me.
I parked in the visitor’s lot at Shands hospital, on this early morning it wasn’t as busy as usual but the workers moved along to the daily schedule. I moved past nurses and patients making my way to the front desk. “Appointment for Lucy Smith….” The nurse looked up at me and managed a smile while looking at me with pitting eyes in my weakened state. “Yes ma’am….. Room 104.” I made my way to Doctor Wilson’s office, my usual physician hoping she could prescribe something to rid me of this pain but what drug could take away heartache. As I made my way down the hall to her office I saw something that made my body immediately come to a halt. There he was conversing with the maternity doctor going over results while she listened in holding her belly. I stood there and watched my husband’s face light up when he looked at the sonogram pictures the doctor was showing him.
I stood there and watched her, her beautiful face and her growing belly with his child inside. He smiled at her the same way he had done to me when it was I right there beside him carrying our child. He reached for her stomach and rubbed it as if he was touching the baby inside. My heart broke all over again at the sight of them together. I wanted my breath to stop, I wanted my body to grow cold, I wanted to die… but I was already dead. Grant looked up and saw me and his glory for the joyful moment had faded. No…I thought to myself…don’t look at me while I’m like this…don’t look at me. He saw hurt and pain in my face and wanted to comfort me. But has he begun to walk toward me I ran…I ran from him…from everything and everyone. I found an emergency exit, backend stairs that lead to the street alley. I stood at the top of the stairwell and took deep breathes but they did not soothe me. I didn’t know why I was finding it so hard to breathe until I realized I was crying hysterically. I tried to calm down but the tears kept flowing and I continued to struggle for air. Some…body…Help…” I managed to get out. I was so hoarse not even a mouse could hear my desperate pleas for help. I rummaged through my phone hoping to call Meg, anyone, anyone who could save me. My chest hurt sorely and I felt my heart would soon rip open my body. Oh dear God I need someone…please help. I need… “Aaaaaah…..” I screamed as my body lifted in the air and toppled down the stairwell. Slam. I landed at the bottom of the staircase, bleeding slowly and losing consciousness; I tried to get up but couldn’t even move, my mind grew numb and slowly faded into the darkness.
Grant
I searched for her everywhere. I had no idea where she could be, I kept replaying the horrified look on her face when she saw me with Alexia. She looked like the life had been completely drained from her poor body. Damn it Grant, I thought to myself. Why do I always do this, just when I thought I couldn’t hurt her bad enough. I turned a corner a found a back exit, a stairwell of some sort, maybe she went down here. I opened the door to the stairwell, the lights were dim and I could hardly make anything out. I looked down to the bottom and instantly went numb. There was my wife lying at the foot of the stairs. I ran down to her side trying to revive her while not further complicating her condition. She looked completely battered and broken, and was knocked out unconscious. “Help….somebody help.” I screamed louder and louder until my lungs gave out. “It’s going to be ok…don’t worry baby it’s going to be ok.” I patted her head and wondered could she sense my presence or feel my warm touch. “What happened here?” A man’s voice shouted down to me. “My wife…my wife…she needs help.” I pleaded with them. As security came down to assist us my mind ran rapid with questions. What happened? Was she going to be ok? What should I do?
The doctors worked on her for hours cutting, stitching and mending her back together. I sat outside the surgical doors anticipating the doctor’s return. Just looking at all those IVs and oxygen pumps they had stuck into her made me a nervous wreck. The doctor finally came out to notify me of everything. “Mr. Smith I am going to be honest with you, your wife is very lucky she survived that fall….however she has multiple broken bones and some internal bleeding which we were able to stop.” My face grew weary by the minute but I was determined to remain strong for the both of us. The doctor continued. “She has a minor concussion but that should soon subside…Things are looking rough but if everything goes according to plan she should be alright.” I nodded. “Can I see her?”
The doctor saw the desperation in my eyes and agreed. “But be brief...she needs all the rest she can get.” I walked into her room and braced myself for the worst and that is exactly what I got. Lucy looked as if she had been trampled over by ten raging bulls. There were bandages over majority of her skin and multiple bruising. I knelt beside her and kissed her swollen lips fighting back tears. “Woman, how did we get here huh?” I stroked her hair as I sat beside her and rested my head on her belly. “I’m sorry baby.” I sat there with her hoping I could transfer some warmth and love into her cold body. Weeks had passed and Lucy still had not woken up. I tried to find ways to explain to little Greg what had happened to is mother, I told him that she had fallen and is now asleep dreaming. “Like sleeping beauty?” He asked me. “Yes son just like sleeping beauty.” He seemed to understand as much as his young mind could as to why Lucy couldn’t be with us. Greg and I would talk to her for hours on end in hopes to get a response. During that time the love that I had for her that I thought had disappeared grew more and more known to me. I was back to seeing her as the woman I married and the woman I now hurt. I became determined to see her through this obstacle.
While Mona watched little Greg from our home I sat with my wife looking over our lives together. “You remember our wedding?” I asked her laughing, grateful for the fact that she was still wearing her wedding ring. “You were so nervous…you thought everything was going to go wrong…from the cake…to the flowers and that bright yellow suit that Pastor Wallace showed up in.” I laughed remembering the florescent colors Pastor Wallace loved to indulge in. “That’s when I promised you that whatever goes wrong, no matter what I was going to stand by you….and I meant that” A familiar voice chuckled behind me. “Wanna bet?” I turned around to see my father in law in Lucy’s hospital room giving me the coldest stare ever. “You won’t be getting anywhere near my daughter ever again.” I stood up toe to toe with him and glared. “What the hell are you doing here?” Oden Dobson removed his brown overcoat, crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at me.
For someone his age he was tall, lean, and ready to throw down and the drop of a hat. “The doctor informed me that Lucy had been in an accident…something you failed to do.” His dark brown eyes turned even colder. I sighed. “I was going to tell you when she woke up…I didn’t want to worry anybody.” Oden grunted and straightened the collar of his shirt. “The only person you need to be worried about right now is yourself.” Another man walked into room, he was obviously of Spanish decent with his tan skin and dark hair; he had on a dark navy shirt and jeans topped off with a black overcoat. Instantly I knew who he was…a cop. “Mr. Smith, I’m Detective Trent.” He introduced himself. I was confused. “Detective... what?” He walked over to shake my hand. “Yes I’m investigating your wife’s accident.” “What do you mean you are investigating my wife’s accident, she fell.” Oden mockingly coughed. The Detective continued on. “Sir I am just trying to confirm that it was an accident. You were the only one with her at the scene of it all.” “You heard him…” Oden made his way back into the conversation. “Talk to the man…Tell him what happened.” He looked at me with accusing eyes. I suddenly caught his heavy drift and stepped back in shock. “You don’t…you can’t possibly think I did this.” “Oh I don’t think…” He growled out. Detective Trent intervened. “Mr. Smith can I talk to you about the day of your wife’s accident….just a couple questions.” I couldn’t believe this, did he really think I would hurt my wife this man was insane, but knowing i
t was in my best interest I decided to cooperate. “My son is home with the babysitter and I …” “Little Greg is going to be fine.” Oden declared to me. “He will be in my care from now on.” I swear if this detective was not here right now Lord knows what I would have done to this fool. “Ok let’s go...” I said cringing and followed the detective out the door but not before getting one last look at Lucy.
Chapter 18
Change of Plans
Grant
“So let’s start from the beginning……What Happened?” I brought my head up as Detective Trent interrogated me in his office. It was funny how I could still remember the interrogation tactics that multiple officers had tried on me but to their disappointment I could never be broken so easily. It had been some years since I had been brought down to a police station but the same feeling remained in me concerning correctional officers…can’t trust them. I couldn’t believe I was even brought down here in the first place, Lord only knows what Oden has been poisoning their minds with and given my history with the police I could only assume they believed him. “Like I said Lucy saw me at the hospital…ran away and by the time I found her she was at the bottom of the stairwell.” Detective Trent eyed me hard. “And why would she run away from you?”
“Because…” He could tell I was hesitating on answering him. “She saw me with someone.” “You mean the woman you had been having an affair with….and who is now pregnant with your child.” That was more of a statement then a question. Frankly I was getting tired of all the mockery. “Since you got all the answers why am I still sitting here?” Trent just stared at me but he spoke a thousand words. I smiled challenging him, now It was my turn to interrogate him. “So tell me Detective, my wife has been in the hospital for weeks. Why do you guys now just want to investigate her accident?” I leaned back in my chair waiting for his response. He glanced over me I guess he didn’t appreciate my line of questioning. “We needed to wait till we had all the facts before we moved any further.” I laughed, what a pathetic answer, you must be rookie, I thought.
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