“Let me in. You’re being a big baby.” The door locks started clicking.
“I’m a baby? You’re the one stompin’ around havin’ tantrums.” She dropped in her seat and rolled the leather pencil holder Simon gave her between her fingers.
“Whoa.” Marcus ducked his head. The cup whizzed by and crashed into the wall. Pencils and pens splattered around his feet to the floor. “Very mature. Was that necessary?”
She smirked and took the cold stapler in her hand. “It’s the least you deserve, you busybody. Give me my key. I don’t want you havin’ any more access to my life.”
He shoved the keys in his pocket and rounded the wall to the refrigerator. “Toni made me come here with food and to talk.” He stacked oblong containers inside then sat on a stool. “I take it that you’re still pissed?”
She raised the stapler. “I plan on remaining pissed.”
He scowled and pointed. “Put it down.
“You told my boyfriend to stay away from me.”
“Hey, before he was your boyfriend, he was my best friend. God Regina, you’re already best friends with my wife. Why the hell do you gotta have Simon too?”
She dropped the stapler and rested her head on the back of the chair. “You said he would impress me. Well, he did.”
“Funny. Look, Gina. I can understand you bein’ upset, but you aren’t the only one. Do you know how traumatic it was to see pictures of Simon grippin’ your ass on the internet?” He hunched his shoulders and shivered. “I still have nightmares.”
“Oh, please. You’re being way too over-dramatic.” Regina spun in her chair and frowned at the numbers on the computer screen. The anticipated pattern was happening, which was not good. She switched tabs and clicked the send button for her email to Elliott. Time for an exit strategy.
“Am I?” He rose and sat on the arm of the side chair. “The two of you worked damn hard to keep this from me because you knew I wouldn’t approve.”
She rolled her eyes into her head. “We don’t need your approval, Marc.”
“Then why all the sneaking around, Gina? Toni tells me that you’ve been dating Simon for months. You could’ve just told me.”
She braced herself on the arms of the chair and leaned forward. “I didn’t because I knew you would be juvenile about it. Look at the way you acted when Toni and I got closer. You couldn’t stand it.”
“Yeah, and you know why? ‘Cause I have to worry about you two fighting. Then I’d be in the middle of a whole mess and have to choose sides.”
She got up and popped a container from the refrigerator in the microwave. “We wouldn’t ask you to do that,” she pounded the buttons, “and you know it.”
Marcus chuckled. “Neither one of you would say it outright, but you’d expect it.” He stood across from her at the counter. “Now you’re with Simon. He’s like a brother to me. What happens if you two fight, split up or he hurts you? I’d have to hurt him, and then I’m out a friend.”
Regina used a fork to stab at the food in the container, ignoring the sense he made. Now was time to stay mad. “Well, you’re the one who hurt me, Marc.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” Food flung off the fork, landing on the pristine countertop. “You made this about your ego and manipulated Simon’s respect for you to get him out of my life.”
“I was tryin’ to protect you, Gina. I know a lot of things about him that concerned me when I found out he was involved with you.”
She jutted her chin to the ceiling. “Like what?”
“That’s for him to tell you.”
“Oh, no, Marcus Kent. You don’t get to wiggle yourself in my business and keep information from me. Spill it, or else I bring this to The Island.”
His eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
She raised her eyebrows and chewed victoriously on her food. If necessary, she’d pull all the stops to get her brother to come clean, even if it meant bringing her parents into the situation. Adrian Kent was the only person walking the earth that Marcus truly feared. It would only take a few baby sister tears to get their mother to force every bit of information out of him.
Brother and sister stared each other down while the computer hummed. “Simon liked to go through women when we were in college, and he showed no indication that he changed his ways.”
“How many?” Why was I stupid enough to ask that? I don’t want to know the number of bodies that have been in his bed.
Marcus's held up his hand. “You don’t want to know. Suffice it to say that he didn’t spend many nights alone, which is another reason why the thought of the two of you bothered me.”
“Was he careless?”
“No. He practiced safe sex and let every partner know that he was not looking for anything past a few kicks that night. It was just sex. I minded my business then, but I won’t stand by and let my sister be treated that way.” He sat on the sofa. “Now, can you at least understand why I was so mad?”
“I guess.” She took her meal with her back in front of the computer. “But you need to understand what sending Simon away did to me. I needed him that night. I was reeling from everything, and he was the only person I wanted by my side. I still do.” She wiped at the tears blurring her brother. “I miss him so much, but I’m so mad that he wasn’t there for me. You did that.”
Marcus’s mouth dropped open. “You’re in love with him.”
She screamed at the ceiling. “Yes, I’m in love with him, and you took him away from me, jackass. What if I tried to convince Toni to leave you?”
“I got it. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
“Yes, you were.” She turned the chair and smeared more tears across her cheek. His heart was in the right place. I’ll forgive him eventually. She blinked at the throng of problems in front of her bigger than a meddling brother.
Marcus hands rested on the chair’s high back. “How’s all of that?”
“As expected. There’s been an initial bump in my blog’s reach since I posted some responses to the photos, but that’s just short-lived interest because of the scandal. I expect to start losing more subscribers within the month.”
“So, all is lost?” Marcus went to the doorway and began putting pencils and pens back in the holder.
“It doesn’t have to be, not totally. I could work my ass off for the next six months trying to get people to forgive me for loving someone.”
He reached over her and set the cup between the mouse pad and keyboard. “Can you stop saying that? I’m gonna puke.”
She swung her fist backward. Anger and melancholy washed away when it contacted Marcus’s nose. “Stop makin’ this about you, Marc.” She let him spin her around.
He sat on the coffee table, rubbing his nose and laughing. “Okay. So, you apologize?”
“No, I move on and do something else. I don’t want my professional life dictating my personal one. People don’t have the right to tell me who I can love. No matter what happens with Simon, I’m planning on a transition.”
“So, you’re just giving up The Blackness of Kent?
“No, at least not all of it. I still want to write, it’s what I do. So, I won’t be building myself as a brand anymore. I’ll go back to focusing on writing. Elliott knows an online media company that’ll probably be interested in adding The Blackness of Kent to their blog lineup. They’ve approached me before, but I wanted to stay independent. It may mean a smaller audience, but I get to keep my privacy.”
She refreshed the analytics page and sighed. “He’s also arranging for an editing job interview. So, I get to feed myself. I’ll have to let Megan go, but she’ll find something quickly; she’s very talented.”
“What about Simon?” Regina glowered at her big brother. He raised his hands. “I’ll stay out of it.”
***
“Simon Young’s office.”
“Hi, Corella? It’s me, Regina.” She checked the screen.
“Hello Regina.” Corella’s upbeat tone was a
welcome change from Simon’s voice mail. “How are you doing?”
“I’m good, thanks. I was trying to get in contact with Simon. I’ve been calling and texting since yesterday.”
“He called in sick,” she said over soft clicking in the background. “He forwarded his phone here.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Bye.”
***
Regina stood in front of the door, rubbing the shiny key between her fingers. I’m not even sure I have the right to use this. Are we broken up? What do I say when I see him? Does he even want to see me? A whirlpool of uncertainties swirled in her head and shot down her body, leaving her unable to get past staring at the doorknob. She shook her head. “Ah, the hell with it. I’m goin’ in.”
She crinkled her nose and spied the sink full of dishes as well as mugs and glasses sprawled across the counter. “Simon?” She put her bag next to the cluster of mugs and ventured further into the dim apartment. She pressed her hand to her chest and raced past the man’s rambling head on the screen towards the sofa. “Oh, babe.”
He was laid out, half-covered by a blanket and with a throw pillow tucked under his head. She touched his burning forehead. Flushed, Simon fluttered his eyes open. “Gina.” He raised a hand but it quickly fell to his side. “You’re here.”
“Hi.” She pulled back the blanket and rested her palm on his abdomen. His entire body is on fire. “Corella said you were sick, but I didn’t think you would be this bad.”
“I’m okay.” He groaned, sitting up and flopping his head back.
“You definitely are not okay. Have you been to a doctor?” She tucked her legs under her and settled next to him. “You’re burning up. Are you taking anything?”
“Nah, I’m good.” Simon smacked his parched mouth and turned his closed eyes in her direction. “I’ll just sleep it off.”
She rose. “I’m taking you. Where is your doctor?” she asked, walking into the bedroom.
“Queens, since I was a kid.”
“I’m not takin’ you all the way to Queens. I’ll bring you to an urgent care.”
“Okay.”
Simon was hot and heavy. Regina struggled to change his clothes and get him into the car. She smiled when he tried to walk completely on his own accord in front of the facility but ended up leaning on the car and laying his head on the roof.
“Come on, Hercules.” She swept herself under his arm, her shoulders aching from their burden. Regina squinted at the beams bouncing off white walls and floors attacking her eyes and sat Simon down before approaching the reception counter. “Hello. My friend is very sick.” A pang of guilt stabbed at her heart. Just calling Simon a friend didn’t feel right. He was so much more, but after the way she treated him, he probably didn’t consider her even that. “He has a really bad fever.”
The nurse perched on her chair and feigned a look of concern before shooting a series of questions while scavenging her desk for papers. “Has he been here before?”
“No, I mean, I doubt it.”
“Does he have a rash?”
Regina closed her eyes to remember if she saw anything while dressing him. “No.”
“Has he recently been out of the country?”
“No.”
The nurse tucked a pile of papers into a clipboard and handed it to her. “Fill these out please, and return them to me. He’ll need to sign them.”
“Thanks.” She slid down the counter. Rubbing her head, she scanned and started scrolling the pen above the inadequate lines demanding information. Pride seeped into her chest when she realized she was able to complete a lot of the form from her knowledge about Simon. It faded when she got to the insurance section. I have no idea what insurance he has. She searched her bag, glad she grabbed his wallet before leaving the apartment.
Regina rubbed the soft, worn black leather. How long has he had this thing? She gasped at her smiling face greeting her when she opened it. Tucked behind clear plastic was a printed copy of a photo he must’ve taken with his phone. Her heart leapt. She held the wallet against her chest with her trembling hands and gazed at Simon’s slumped body through glistening eyes. Blinking rapidly, she continued to complete the form.
“Gina,” Simon weakly moaned and shifted in the chair.
She gathered her things and walked towards him. “Yeah, babe?” She tried to soothe his restlessness with her soft tone. “I’m here. What do you need?”
He lifted his head and smacked his cracked lips. “Thirsty.” He pivoted from leaning on the back of the chair to her legs.
Regina stumbled at the sudden weight. The clipboard slipped down her side. “Okay, babe.” Jamming Simon’s wallet under her chin, she grabbed a bottled water out her handbag and unscrewed the top. She struggled to push his limp body back and sat next to him. “I have some right here.”
She managed to get him to take a few sips before his head lulled like a ragdoll. Regina stood to go back to completing her task, but Simon pulled at her. “No. Don’t go.” She returned to her seat, and he laid his head on her, loosely wrapping his weak arms around her legs. How the hell am I going to complete this damn paperwork now?
She turned towards laughter in the room. An older woman in a stylish hat and coat giggled and winked at Regina. “Big babies when they’re sick, aren’t they?”
“Tell me about it.” Regina packed the bottle and wallet in her bag and balanced the clipboard on Simon’s shoulder. She looked down a while later and wiped sweat from his forehead. Her heart prodded her to sit there and not to disturb him, but she had to give the stuff to the nurse. “Simon.” She tapped him gently. “I need to get up.” She lifted his limp head and shoulders and propped him on the chair.
Regina passed the clipboard to the nurse and thanked her. She then poked in her purse, searching for her buzzing cell phone. “Hi, Elliot. What’s up?”
“Gina. I have some great news. They’re interested in adding The Blackness of Kent to their blog roster. I’m going to need you to come to D.C.”
Chapter 24
You Can Go Now, Regina
Regina let out a relieved sigh. “That’s fantastic, Elliott. This transition will help me get more control over my private life.”
“They also want you to take an editing position and be a paid contributor to some of their major platforms. Quite a few of the managing editors there are fans of your work. Only thing is, they want you to come to D.C. for an interview.”
She pushed identical pens around in the cup on the counter. “I can do that.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” She looked at Simon’s slouching body. “It’s kinda late to make travel plans. How about next week?”
Elliot’s tone became more authoritative. “Regina. I had to do a lot of finagling to arrange this. You said you were ready to move as quickly as possible.”
“I know, and I am. I just need a more time to get down there.” As soon as she reclaimed her seat, Simon rolled his head onto her shoulder and flopped his arm across her waist. “I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.” She switched the phone to her other hand and stroked his scruffy jaw. “Friday. I can get there Friday, and I’ll spend the weekend with you and Bree. I’ll even babysit Daniel.”
“Are you using my wife and son as leverage?”
“A little bit.”
Elliott sighed. “You’re shameless. I’ll call you back.”
“Can you text me?”
“Can I what?” His displeasure oozed into her ear. They may be close friends, but he was not a man to be put off, and she owed him big for extending so much time and energy to help her.
I’m really pushing my luck, but I can’t leave Simon now. “Text me. I’m in the middle of somethin’.” She wiped the sweat trickling past her ear. I’m clearly not thinking straight, otherwise, I’d be flying down the I-95 saving my career.
“Young?” The nurse stood at the doorway. “Simon Young?”
“Right here.” Regina rais
ed her hand. “Please, Elliott.”
“You know, you’re one of the few people I would go to such lengths for, right?”
“I do, and I love you for it. Well? You got this for me?”
“I’ll text you.”
“Thanks Elliot.”
“Simon Young?”
Regina pulled Simon to his feet, and dragged him to the nurse.
***
“I can do it.” Regina wrapped her arms around Simon as he clumsily attempted to climb the examination table.
“Come on, Young. You have to let me help you.” The doctor walked in just when she got him seated.
“Simon Young?”
“Yes.” The scale rattled as she backed into it before dropping into the seat in the corner.
After introductions, a series of questions and some poking and prodding, the doctor sat in front of the computer screen and started typing. Regina resumed her place next to Simon at the examination table. “It’s a good thing your girlfriend brought you in, Mr. Young. Your tonsils are infected.”
Simon smiled and squeezed Regina’s hand. “Yeah.”
“I’m going to call in a prescription for antibiotics to the pharmacy you provided.” She clicked away at the keyboard. “You can take something over the counter for the pain. Get plenty of rest, and drink lots of fluids. Any questions?”
“No, thank you.” Simon pulled Regina closer and dropped his head on her shoulder.
The physician flashed a combination of humor and sympathy at Regina. “Good luck.”
***
Regina closed and fell against the bathroom door. Despite repeated propositions, she was able to get Simon in the shower without joining him. Rubbing a shoulder, she walked across the bedroom and began searching the draws for pajamas. After tossing a pair of sweats on the bed, she took off her soaking top and stretched a red Boston College t-shirt over her head. She then chose one for the sickly horndog in the shower.
“Gina.” A steam burst followed a slump-shouldered Simon into the bedroom, who was naked save a towel he held in front of his groin. “I feel a little better.”
My Way to You (Brothers in Law Book 1) Page 17