I open my eyes and right in front of me is a brand new Range Rover with a bright red bow tied to the top. It’s white with custom made plates that say Mrs. B. I jump up and down and hug Tucker excitedly. “I can’t believe you bought me a car,” I say.
“I ordered it while we were in LA. Do you like it?” He says.
“I love it,” I say as I walk around the car touching the sparkling new body. When I reach the side of the car closest to the side walk I stop and cover my mouth with my hand to stifle the scream. The word, ‘BITCH’ is spray painted across the side of the car with bright red paint. Tucker and the driver rush over to me.
He touches the paint, “It’s still wet. Wait in the car,” Tucker says pulling out his phone to call the police. I don’t argue with him. I practically run to the car and lock all of the doors. My hands are shaking as I rummage through my purse for my cell phone. I try to dial Pookie’s number three times but my vision is blurred from my tears. I don’t understand why someone is working so hard to hurt me? I scroll through the list of old calls and touch Pookie’s number. The phone rings and someone answers but there’s silence on the other end. I look down at the phone. In my excitement I must have touched the wrong number. I move the phone away from my ear and prepare to disconnect the call when I hear a woman on the other end.
“Did you like my little surprise?” She asks.
Her voice sounds familiar but I can’t say exactly who it is. “Who is this?”
“Don’t worry about who this is,” She shrieks. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to be with him? I did everything right and we were going to have such a good life together,” the woman says sobbing.
“What the fuck is wrong with you. Tucker isn’t the only man in the world go find someone else. He’s my husband and I’m not going to just walk away because you want him. And another thing, you ruined my fucking car if I find out who you are I’m going to kick your ass. Do you hear me,” I yell into the phone. Tucker taps on the window. I unlock the door and he reaches into the car, takes my hand and pulls me out. He takes the phone from my hands and looks down at the blank screen. My hands are shaking and I can barely breathe.
“Leila look at me,” Tucker says gripping my shoulders. Whoever was on the phone is gone. They hung up baby please calm down.” I focus on his face and try to steady my breathing. When the police arrive I give my statement in a fog.
Chapter 31
It’s funny how differently people handle stress. My mother cleans like a mad woman when she’s upset. I once made her mad on purpose to get her to clean the kitchen so that I wouldn’t have to. My sister Keisha cooks when she’s stressed and Nickie reads. When my life becomes unbearable I sleep. I can sleep anywhere and anytime no matter who’s around. After telling Tucker and the police all the details of the phone call I leave everything outside and drag myself into the house. I kick off my shoes and climb into bed fully dressed. When I wake the next morning the sheets on Tucker’s side are rustled but the bed is cold. I step out of the room and pad down the hall towards the kitchen. Tucker is standing in the living room talking to a giant man who I assume is a body guard. Tucker’s hair is rustled and he looks as if he hasn’t slept in days. I swirl around on the heels of my feet and head back to the room. I shower and change and when I return to the living room Tucker is talking to another group of men. They all turn to face me.
“Good morning baby,” Tucker says in a horse voice. He excuses himself from the group and heads over to hug me.
“Have you slept at all?” I say reaching up to touch his face. He takes my hand in his kisses my palm and shakes his head no. I guess Tucker deals with stress by staying up all night worrying. He looks miserable and I feel terrible about this mess even though technically it isn’t my fault. “What have you been doing?”
“I set up an emergency appointment with the alarm company. I changed my phone number, called a lock smith and an armed security service.”
“Tucker it’s just one woman.” He runs his fingers through his hair and exhales loudly. I pull him over to the couch and sit on his lap. I hate what this is doing to him. “I don’t like the idea of allowing this woman to make me run away from my own home but we need to get away,” I say resting my head on his shoulder.
****
Two days later Tucker and I are on a private jet to Jamaica. I made arrangements to take my classes online. We paid to expedite our passports and as soon as they were in our hands we were out. Before leaving I called Pookie and explained the situation. I gave him all of the alarm codes and told him to contact Shauna for the keys to the house. I also told him where to find the credit card he needed to start redecorating. I gave him free reign because I trust that he knows what I like. Joan agreed to help so that the whole house doesn’t end up looking like my bedroom back in LA. I’m both nervous and excited about leaving the country for the first time. This entire year has been a series of firsts and I’m embracing the new adventures.
I’ve never even seen a real private plane before today because I was wasted when we took the private plane to Las Vegas. I hold my head high as I walk up the stairs leading to the cabin. I don’t want anyone to know how out of place I feel. I’m wearing a fitted black dress Jimmy Choo strappy sandals and trying my best to appear grown up. But when I step inside the plane I want to runaround the room like an excited child. The plane is plush. It has camel colored leather seats a full bar a bedroom with a king sized bed and a bathroom with a shower. There are four men inside. An attendant two pilots and I recognize the last man as the body guard from the other day. He’s a bit smaller than the guards I had in LA but equally intimidating. I settle into a seat and the attendant rushes over with a glass of champagne on a tray. He’s a bright faced eager young Jamaican man who doesn’t look a day over twelve. Tucker sits in the seat next to me.
“Are you nervous,” He says reaching over to hold my hand.
“A little,” I say.
“It’s an eight hour flight. We can move around after takeoff. Have another glass of champagne,” He says waving the flight attendant over. By the time we are airborne I’m on my fourth drink and all of my inhibitions are gone. I wobble over to Tucker’s seat and take his hand. “Honeymoon starts now,” I say pulling him into the bedroom. We join the mile high club and after Tucker falls asleep I shower and change into shorts and a t-shirt. When I step out of the room the body guard is sitting by the plane’s entrance thumbing through a magazine and the attendant is standing at attention. My head is still spinning from all of the champagne I drank and I find the chipper attendant a little annoying.
“May I get you anything,” He says with a big smile.
I shake my head no. “Have you been standing there the whole time?”
“No maa’m I sat down,” He says.
“How long until we arrive in Jamaica?”
“We will be landing in approximately five hours maa’m.” Every time he says maa’m I cringe a little. I plop down on one of the seats and look around the plane. The only time I’d ever seen the inside of a private plane was on an episode of cribs. “May I get you anything?”
“How about a deck of cards,” I say.
****
When we arrive in Jamaica the flight attendant whose name is Sasha and I are best buds. We ate cheese burgers and played cards. It turns out he’s from Kingston. He promises to show me the authentic island. He says he knows a place that makes the best jerk chicken in all of Jamaica and the most scenic beaches. Tucker sleeps the entire plane ride. He emerges from the bedroom looking refreshed. When the plane lands and we step out I’m assaulted by the heavy humid air. I’m dripping with sweat and my hair is fluffy before my foot touches the last step. An SUV is waiting on the tar mat to take Tucker, the body guard and I to his family home. As we drive down the road I’m taken aback by the beauty of the ocean and thick foliage. I grew up in Southern California. I practically lived at the beac
h but I’ve never seen water like this before. Most of the beaches I’ve been to in LA are polluted and the water is sickly grey. But the ocean here seems to sparkle. Tucker points out the window at a man with long dreadlocks and dark brown skin like leather. The man is standing in front of a makeshift store hanging lobsters near a for sale sign. It’s so strange to see tall beautiful hotels right next to tiny manmade stores. I feel completely at ease even though the driver is weaving in and out of traffic as if he’s late for an appointment with the president.
We pull up to the guard post of a gated community and our driver exchanges words with the guard in Jamaican Patois before cruising through the gate. The man who was speeding as if his pants were on fire a few minutes ago is suddenly the world’s most cautious driver. He nods politely to the armed security guards that walk up and down the neatly paved tree lined streets and drives as if he’s caring precious cargo. The wait staff, security and housekeepers are all black which feels strangely comforting. Everyone is so warm and inviting that it’s like being at a big family reunion. There are about six large houses in the community. The houses are all bright vibrant yellow with a large front yard. Each yard has a neatly trimmed lawn and two trees with a hammock hanging between them.
We glide to a stop in front of the place that will be my home for the next few months. I step out and walk up the three steps to the porch and sit on the porch swing. I can see an infinity pool and cabana on my left. There’s a tennis court and spa to my right and a panoramic view of the ocean everywhere I turn. It’s like a perfect private Stepford city. Tucker and the other men lug the bags into one of the bedrooms. He tips the driver and sends the guard away. “Come on I’ll show you around,” Tucker says taking my hand and leading me inside the house. From the moment I step foot onto the coral colored tile floor I feel at home. I can tell Joan decorated the house all six bedrooms remind me of her house in Marin. It’s elegant while still managing to be warm and inviting.
“How long has your family owned this house?” I ask as I walk towards the kitchen.
“My mom bought it five or six years ago. She said she needed a little getaway. I guess the villa in the south of France and the house in the Hamptons wasn’t good enough.” Tucker changes into swim trunks, a t-shirt and flip flops and I squeeze my overstuffed ass into a tiny white bikini then wrap my whole body in a long sarong. There are a few residents in the pool and a volley ball game in full swing on the beach. “We should join them,” Tucker says. I am the absolute least athletic person in the whole world.
“I’ll just watch,” I say scrunching my nose at the thought of jumping around trying to hit a ball. Tucker smiles and kisses me then walks away. I watch the reaction of some of the women when he pulls his shirt off. I will never get use to that. I know how hard he works for his body to look the way it does and I’m pretty sure he isn’t a cheater but I can’t help feeling angry when women ogle him. I take off my sarong and place it on the chair then walk out to the water. I am unprepared for the sensation. The water is as warm as a bathtub and I can see tiny colorful fish swimming around my ankles. I step out a few more feet and dip my head under water. I adjust my swim suit and slosh around. I love this place and I can see myself staying here for a long time. When I look up I have a small audience of men. They’re watching me try to dislodge my swim suit from my butt. I’m about to walk out and find my wrap when Tucker strolls past the group of guys and stands at the water’s edge.
“Is your game over already?” He crosses his arms over his chest.
“No I saw a bunch of men standing around and I came over to see what the commotion was about.”
“Really Tucker you stopped playing volleyball just to check on me?” I say trying not to smile.
“Of course not,” He says stepping into the water. “But we’re going out to buy you a wetsuit later,” He says walking over to me. He places both hands on my ass and lifts me out of the water for a passionate kiss.
****
It’s dusk when Tucker and I walk back to the house. I shower, shampoo my hair and pile on gobs of conditioner to tame the frizz. I slide into a white sundress with sandals and look at myself in a full length mirror. I barely recognize myself. My fluffy untamed curls and round hips look as if they belong to someone else, a grown woman. Tucker steps into the room. You ready for dinner,” He says wrapping his arms around my waist. I lean back and inhale deeply. I love his scent. I turn around and hold on to him wishing this honeymoon would never end.
Chapter 32
The first few months in Jamaica are a blur. Tucker and I did everything imaginable. We went horseback riding on the beach, water skiing and scuba diving. We shopped in nearly every little market place in the country. We toured a plantation in the Blue Mountains and tried ackee which is a plant that tastes a lot like scrambled eggs. Sasha the flight attendant dragged us to a part of Kingston that reminded me of South Central LA. He was right the jerk chicken was amazing but I felt out of place. Everyone was so expressive and outgoing. Despite my new found freedom at my core I’m still a bit uptight. Tucker however was right at home. He drank rum punch and danced with Sasha’s aunties. He played handball with a few boys and he even learned a couple words in Jamaican Patois.
The strangest part of the trip happened when Tucker and I got separated at a market place in Ocho Rios. A woman approached me and asked to give me a reading.
“No I’d rather not,” I said.
“Oh you think I’m a devil because I see the future,” She said walking closer to me. “I’d like you to know that I get all my information from the lord,” She said with her hands on her round hips. The woman’s face was like a dark moon. Her long gray streaked dreadlocks were tied at the nape of her neck and she smelled like incents.
“So the lord told you to carry around a bag of chicken bones?” I asked.
“Oh that’s just for show,” She said shaking the tiny black velvet bag in front of my face. I handed the woman twenty dollars and turned to walk away. “Wait,” She called out. Don’t you want to know your future?”
“No thank you,” I said quickening my pace.
“You just be careful because the crazy lady she still after you.” I stopped and turned to face her. She walks up to me. “That woman who wants what you got will try to hurt you and the baby.
“What baby,” I asked. I was more nervous about the mention of a baby than I was about the crazy woman. A crazy woman I could deal with but a baby was a different story. I picked up a six month supply of birth control pills at the campus health center. I take them faithfully. I want to have kids but the thought of having a baby before finishing school scares me to death.
“The baby will be here soon,” She said. “You take this,” She said pressing a bottle of oil into my hand. “You watch and pray,” She said and turned to walk away. I didn’t tell Tucker about the conversation because he would have been more freaked out than me. I tried to push the whole thing out of my head and enjoy my vacation.
However, right now Tucker’s head is resting on my bare stomach and I can tell what he’s thinking. He kisses my stomach. “Yes, my love we will start talking about having kids as soon as I graduate,” I say rubbing his head. He kisses my stomach again.
“How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”
“Every time you kiss my stomach you start talking about Tucker junior shortly after.”
“Your biological clock is just clicking away isn’t it.”
Tucker sits up. “I want to tell you something but you have to promise not to get upset.” I make a cross over my heart with my finger. “When Samantha and I were together I found out she was pregnant. I never told her I knew but that was the reason I proposed to her. I didn’t realize I wanted a kid until I thought I might be a father.”
I feel sick hearing this, “So was I supposed to be her replacement,” I say sitting up.
“Remember your promise,” He sa
ys pointing at me. I fold my arms and plop my head back down on the pillow. “I proposed to her out of obligation but I chose you and I want us to have a family together.”
“What happened with the baby?”
He shakes his head. “She said she had a miscarriage but I know she had an abortion.” I nod as if I understand but none of it makes sense. If Samantha loved Tucker as much as she claimed to it seems like she would do everything possible to keep him. He lies back on my stomach. “I talked to my mom today while you were in the shower,” He says changing the subject.
“Really how is she,” I ask.
“She’s fine. I think she and Pookie are planning a welcome back slash housewarming party.”
“Don’t remind me about leaving. The last few months have been a dream and the thought of going back to reality fills me with dread. Speaking of reality I talked to Nickie.”
“How is she?”
“She’s more than five months pregnant and she has no idea who the father is. She doesn’t even know if she’s going to keep the baby or put it up for adoption. She’s waited too long to do anything else.”
“What about Riley?”
“It was a one night stand what do you want from the guy?”
“One night stand or not it’s just as much his responsibility as hers.”
“Well not everyone is as responsible as you. Besides, Riley might not even be the father. Anyway she says the family’s driving her crazy. She asked if she could come up and stay with us until the baby’s born.” I’m hoping Tucker will say no so that I have an excuse for telling Nickie she can’t come.
“That’s fine,” He says. “We have plenty of room. Enough about them, we need to start making William Tucker Bradley the fourth,” He says sitting up and pulling my legs around his waist. I straddle him and press my chest against his. He holds me tight and I can feel his heart beating against mine. “I love you,” He whispers into my ear.
A Love Like This (Book 1) Page 24