It's Only You

by Sheryl Lister

  Simona retrieved her cell phone from her purse and scrolled until she came to the number she had never deleted. Taking a deep breath, she tapped the screen.

  “Amber? It’s Simona.”

  “Oh, my God, Simona. I’m-so-sorry-I-didn’t-do-this-I-know-you-think-I-did-but-I-didn’t-I-promise.”

  The words came out in a tearful jumbled mess before Simona could say anything.

  “Amber, you’re the only one I saw when I was home. If you didn’t, who did?”

  Amber sniffed. “I don’t know. I know I messed up the first time, and I lost my best friend. But I swear it wasn’t me.”

  Simona didn’t know what to believe. “Did you talk to anyone? What about the people you were with?”

  “It was just a group of us celebrating mine and a couple of others’ success. Oh, no.”

  “What, Amber?”

  “Lorna showed up a few minutes after I saw you.”

  Simona sighed wearily and scrubbed a hand across her forehead. Lorna Price had been interested in Travis and upset when he chose Simona over her. “What did you tell her?”

  “I didn’t tell her anything. One of the other girls asked me who you were, and she might’ve overheard me talking. I’m so, so sorry, Simona.”

  “But what would she have to gain by dragging my name through the mud? Travis and I have been over for more than a year.”

  “She’s still bitter and she hasn’t been getting many parts, whereas Travis’s career has taken off. I knew she blamed you, but that was a long time ago. I don’t even know who invited her. We don’t talk anymore. Not since...”

  “I have to go,” Simona said softly. She didn’t give Amber a chance to reply.

  “Mamamama.”

  She picked up her baby and hugged her tight. “Mommy’s not going to let anyone come near you.” And she was Yasmine’s mother, the one who vowed to guard her with the ferociousness of a lioness protecting her cubs. Simona couldn’t go through that circus again, and she would do whatever it took to keep that from happening, even if it meant leaving.

  Her heart squeezed. To keep her little girl safe, she would leave everything behind. And everyone.

  Chapter 19

  Donovan lowered his body into his chair and buried his head in his hands. Over the past week, the media frenzy besieging him and Simona had tested his control in ways he’d never imagined. He was wound so tight that the least little thing might make him snap.

  Brad had finally made some headway on the several lawsuits he was filing and had demanded a retraction be printed, but he also had some disturbing news. Thanks to Amber, they found out that the person who initially provided the false information was a woman linked to Simona’s ex. Under pressure, the woman had admitted to following them and taking pictures.

  The one person Donovan wanted to lay hands on, however, was Travis Jacobs. The arrogant asshole was still trying to use Simona to make himself look good in the media by adding to the lies and claiming that Simona was the type of person to use a child for blackmail. But when Donovan finished with Travis, his looks were likely to be the only thing he had left.

  The only time he felt some measure of peace was when he went home. The delightful laughter and kisses that Yasmine greeted him with, and the soul-stirring lovemaking with Simona that filled his nights, gave him a sense of completion and fulfillment unlike anything he had ever felt. Donovan finally understood what Terrence had tried to explain after he married Janae and had Nadia.

  But for the past two days, Simona seemed to be withdrawing, and every time he tried to talk to her, she would tell him she was fine. In his heart he knew she wasn’t, and he hoped with time she would open up to him. The constant hype in the tabloids and on the entertainment TV shows was taking a toll on her. He had done everything in his power to prove to her that he’d kept his promises. It was up to her to believe him. Only now he had to call and tell her that Travis wanted a paternity test.

  Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone. “Hey, sweetheart,” he said when Simona answered. He could hear Yasmine in the background babbling.

  “Hey. Is something wrong?”

  “Brad has gotten the magazine to print a retraction, and Lorna confessed to following us and taking the pictures.”

  “Oh, thank goodness. Now I can finally put this mess behind me.”

  “Simona, there’s something else... Travis is requesting a paternity test.”

  “What? He knows this baby is not his,” she hissed.

  “I know that, too. It’s clear he’s still trying to keep his fifteen minutes of fame by lying. But taking the test will put him out of our lives for good.”

  “Donovan, I don’t want to subject Yasmine to this drama.”

  “You won’t have to. The only information Travis will receive from the testing is that the baby is not his, nothing more. You can take Yasmine to the hospital today to get it done. I can meet you there. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can move on.”

  Silence reigned for a full minute before she finally agreed.

  Later he met her at the hospital for the test, then they spent a quiet evening together. Donovan went to work the following day feeling confident that in a few short days it would all be over. He met with Terrence to discuss two concert dates in New York and New Jersey, then the two of them met with a prospective client. He took a moment to check on Simona, and she sounded better.

  Donovan attended his meeting with the A and R department later that afternoon, then called it a day. He was anxious to get home to his girls. The delicious scent of food hit his nose as soon as he entered the house through the garage and made his stomach growl. He smiled and waited for the familiar footsteps.

  The seconds ticked off, and his smile faded. He walked through the quiet house. It had taken him less than a day to get accustomed to not being alone, and the sounds were noticeably absent.

  He climbed the stairs and called out to Simona, but got no answer. The pace of his heart accelerated when he found several things missing from the room Yasmine was using. Donovan burst into his bedroom and snatched open dresser drawers and the closet and found Simona’s things gone. Dread settled in his belly, and he sprinted back downstairs to the kitchen. On his way to the garage, a sheet of paper on the refrigerator that he hadn’t noticed before caught his attention. He removed it and read:

  Donovan, I can’t take it anymore and I apologize for the stress this has caused you on your job. I think it would be better for both of us if I left, so you can get on with your life. Please forgive me for bringing my past to your doorstep. Yasmine and I will be fine, and know that I will always love you.

  Simona

  He let out a frustrated growl, then braced his hands on the counter and bowed his head. He’d thought they were good. Pain settled in his chest and swelled to massive proportions in a matter of seconds. “I can’t let her go. I have to find her.”

  He slammed his hand on the counter and whipped out his phone. His call to Simona’s cell immediately went to voicemail, and the one to her home went unanswered. He tried her grandmother, but Nana hadn’t heard from her, either. Where could she be?

  No matter where she had gone, he was going to find her and bring her back where she belonged...with him.

  * * *

  “Believe me, Eve,” Simona said as she added more clothes to the suitcase, “I’ve thought about everything you’re saying, but I just can’t do this anymore. And Donovan...” She dropped down on the bed and swiped at a tear. “He’s been so amazing through all this, but I see what it’s doing to him—the way he’s had to fight the media, the stress it’s putting on his job—I can’t do this to him. Didn’t you see the latest headline that said Donovan and I were trying to pass the baby off as Travis’s to extort money?” It had been hard to leave Donovan’s house, but sitting in he
r bedroom now, Simona felt she had made the right decision.

  Eve sighed. “Yes, I saw it. But Simona, honey, Donovan loves you, and I’m sure he’s more concerned with your stress level. You don’t have to leave. You know that paternity test is going to come back negative. From what I can see, Donovan must be doing something, because I saw a retraction printed in that first tabloid and I’m sure the others will follow.”

  “And in the meantime, his spotless reputation is being dragged through the mud.” She stood, zipped the suitcase and took it out to the car. Eve was sitting on the couch when she returned. “I think that about does it. I really appreciate you letting me stay at your house.”

  “I told you before, you’re welcome to use it for as long as you need. I already called my caretaker, and she’ll be waiting for you. Call me and let me know you arrived safely.” Eve bounced Yasmine in her arms. “Auntie Eve is going to miss you, baby cakes.” She kissed and hugged Yasmine.

  Simona did one more walk-through to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Satisfied, she locked up. She strapped Yasmine into her car seat and faced Eve. “Well, this is it.” She handed her the house keys.

  Eve had tears in her eyes. “I’m going to miss you. I’ll make sure the house is taken care of until you come back. And I know you will.” She gave Simona a strong hug. “Be safe, and don’t forget to call me.”

  Wiping her tears, Simona said, “I won’t.” They shared another emotional hug and parted. Minutes later she was on Interstate 5 heading south to San Diego.

  She missed Donovan already, and several times during the drive the tears started again. She had to pull over once because she was crying so hard she couldn’t see the road. Fortunately, Yasmine slept most of the way.

  Two and a half hours later, she parked in the driveway of a house on a corner lot with a wide covered porch holding a cushioned loveseat and two matching chairs with a small table between them. She blew out a long breath and felt some of the tension start to drain.

  The front door opened just as Simona stuck the key in the lock. “Hello.”

  A dark-skinned older woman with salt-and-pepper hair cut in short layers smiled warmly. “You must be Simona. Come in and unburden yourself. My name is Marlena. Eve told me about your little one. I took the liberty of having my son bring over my grandson’s crib for you to use.” She walked while she talked. “So you can lay her in here. I put on some fresh sheets.”

  “Thank you, Miss Marlena.” Simona placed Yasmine in the crib and covered her with the sheet. She turned the lamp down to the lowest setting and followed Marlena on a tour of the three-bedroom house. She tried to pay attention to the woman’s lively chatter, but fatigue set in and she had a hard time keeping her eyes open. Marlena must have noticed.

  “You must be exhausted, child, and I’m just going on and on. Let’s get your things in so you can rest.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I can manage on my own.”

  Marlena waved Simona off. “Nonsense. Now, come on.”

  Not having the strength to argue, Simona followed, and they emptied the car in no time. Simona thanked her, and Marlena told Simona she would be by tomorrow. She trudged down the hall to the bedroom next to the one where Yasmine slept and took out her phone to call Eve. There were three messages from Donovan that she had missed when she turned the phone off. She spoke to Eve briefly, hung up and listened to the messages.

  Simona, baby, where are you? Please pick up.

  Simona, please call me. I need to know you’re all right.

  Tears blurred her vision.

  Simona, I know this has been hard. Please come back. You don’t have to fight alone. I’ll be right by your side. I love you and need you here with me. Kiss Yasmine for me. Know that I will not stop fighting for us.

  She held the phone against her heart and curled up in a fetal position on the bed as deep, wrenching sobs tore from her throat. Simona had no idea how long she lay there before she mustered up enough strength to shower and crawl beneath the covers for the night.

  The next morning her head felt as if it weighed a ton, her throat was raw from crying and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. With supreme effort, she dragged herself out of bed and went to make oatmeal. Yasmine was already awake and would be ready to eat soon, especially since she had fallen asleep so early.

  After she fed Yasmine and forced down half of a banana herself, Simona went out to the porch. She sat in one of the chairs and placed the little girl on her lap. She marveled at the beauty in front of her. Eve’s house was close enough to the ocean for her to have a small, distant view. Here, she didn’t have to worry about being hounded by the media and hearing the gossip on TV. Mrs. Battle had approved a six-week emergency leave, and that gave Simona time to decide her next move.

  A flock of birds flew by, and Yasmine tried to squirm out of Simona’s lap to see where they went. Simona stood and walked to the edge of the porch so the little girl could see them. She pointed. “Birds. Can you say birds?” Yasmine said something and pointed. Simona laughed and kissed her. “That’s right, birds. You are such a smart girl.”

  “Dadadada.”

  She went still. This was the third time Yasmine had said it. The first time had been when they were at her grandmother’s house. Deacon Mitchell had come to dinner and mistakenly assumed Donovan was her father—a fact that Donovan never denied—and said, “Go to your daddy.” The man had thought it cute when she repeated it several times. The second time had been when Donovan came home from work one evening. The emotion that had filled his face had moved Simona to tears. He didn’t put her down for the rest of the evening.

  A fresh wave of tears crested her eyes. Donovan probably missed Yasmine as much as she missed him...as much as they both missed him. But this was for the best, Simona assured herself. She couldn’t let him sacrifice all his hard work for her mistake.

  * * *

  Donovan was at his wit’s end by Friday. It had been three days since Simona left, and he hadn’t heard one word, though he’d left several messages. It was driving him crazy. The silence in his house was deafening, and his bed was cold and lonely. In the short time they’d been together, he had gotten used to Simona snuggling next to him or lying half on top of him to sleep. And Yasmine. God, how he missed her. She had even said “Dada.” He’d give anything to have his girls back. He needed them to make his life complete.

  “Any word from Simona?” Terrence stuck his head in the door.

  “No, and I’m about to lose my mind. T, I love her,” Donovan said emotionally. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t find her.”

  “I’ll help in any way I can. I have some good news. I just talked to Brad, and he told me he contacted Travis Jacobs’s lawyer. Apparently, Travis is willing to say he made a mistake about asking for the paternity test.”

  Donovan rose to his feet swiftly. “Mistake!” he yelled. “That punk didn’t make a mistake. He knew the baby wasn’t his.”

  “Calm down and let me finish,” Terrence said.

  He unclenched his fists and drew in several angry breaths.

  “Brad told the lawyer that unless his client came clean, he would drag Travis to court and make sure the media gets a front row seat. He would make Simona look like Mother Teresa, which isn’t a far stretch, and let the public decide. The implications for Travis’s career would be monumental.” Terrence chuckled. “Brad is flying to Oakland on Monday to meet with him. The lawyer wants to settle out of court. Just so you know, he’s filing libel and defamation of character suits for both you and Simona, including the mess from the first time. And because Mr. Idiot decided to say the same thing in an interview, Brad’s throwing in slander. He’s already trying to subpoena the tape.”

  “Good. I hope Travis decides on the right course of action.”

  “Just let Brad handle it. The last thing yo
u need is an assault charge.”

  “As I recall, you knocked out Janae’s ex for far less.”

  Terrence nodded. “It felt good, too. Well, maybe one good punch. I’ve got your back.” They did a fist bump.

  Donovan allowed himself a small smile. “Always. I think I’m going to leave. I want to stop by Eve’s house and see if she knows where Simona is. She wasn’t home when I went over yesterday.”

  “Let me know if you need me to do anything. Why don’t you take Monday off, too? Monique can handle things, and I’ll be here.”

  “Thanks, bro. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”

  Donovan drove to Simona’s house and parked out front. Her car wasn’t there, and it looked as though no one had been there for several days. He got out, walked across the street and rang Eve’s doorbell, gazing over the neighborhood while he waited. Please let her be home. He spun around when the door opened.

  “Donovan,” she said with surprise.

  “Hi, Eve. May I come in for a few minutes?”

  “Sure.” She led him to the living room and offered him a seat. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No, thanks. I just need to know if you have any idea where Simona went.” Something like guilt flashed in her face. “Eve, please. I need to find her.”

  She took the chair next to his and sighed heavily. “I tried to convince her to stay, but she was hell-bent on leaving.”

  “Did she tell you where she was going? I’ve been out of my mind worrying about her and Yasmine.” He got up, paced the room and came back. He squatted down in front of her. “Eve, I’m desperate. I love Simona and I love Yasmine. I’m begging you, please, please tell me where she is.”

  “Lord, if my husband had ever looked at me this way or shown half the concern you’re showing, we wouldn’t be divorced today. She’s at my vacation home in San Diego.”