The Perfect Deception

by Lutishia Lovely

  She angrily wiped away the tears that had escaped despite her resolve not to cry. “Just stop it,” she scolded herself through gritted teeth. “Just do what you have to do.” The sooner I finish this, the sooner this pain will go away. I can only hope that someday I’ll meet another man who is half as good to me as Nathan. With that, she walked into the kitchen, and then up to the bedroom.

  “Here, babe. I brought some tea to help you sleep.”

  Nathan sat up. “How’d you know I was still awake?”

  “Just figured you might be.” She handed him the cup.

  “I really appreciate you.” He sipped the steamy brew. Love-filled eyes drank in Jessica’s beauty . . . and something else. “What’s the matter, Jessica?”

  “Nothing. Why?”

  “I detect sadness behind your smile.”

  “Oh. I, uh, am just worried about you, babe. I want you to get better.”

  “Me too.” The arsenic worked quickly, and this time she’d added a crushed up pain pill to try and lessen the painful cramps. Nathan was out and snoring before he finished the tea. Jessica took the cup back down to the kitchen, washed it thoroughly, and then reached for her iPad. Hopefully there was something on Netflix that would take her mind off the hell of a drama otherwise known as her life.

  The movie she watched hadn’t done it. Thoughts of Nate left little room for any other topic to pierce her mind. She went up to check on him. He was no longer snoring, hardly seemed to breathe. She called his name, shook him roughly, and still he slept. Is he . . . ? She placed a shaky finger under his nose and almost fainted with relief. She’d felt his breath! Hearing her phone, she rushed downstairs to answer it. The call was from an unknown phone number, one she wouldn’t have answered had she not been so discombobulated.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Jessica. This is Sherri Atwater. I hope you don’t mind but after his health scare, I requested your number from Nate in case of another emergency.”

  “Oh, um, of course.”

  “Are you at his house?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank goodness. Can you please put him on the phone?”

  Jessica took a deep breath before answering. The last thing she needed was a suspicious Sherri hounding her with questions, but she wondered if even an explosion in the middle of the bed would wake Nathan right now. “He’s asleep.”

  “At four in the afternoon?”

  “He didn’t sleep well last night.” When Sherri didn’t immediately respond, Jessica laughed and added, “And he got up really early this morning . . . to work from here.”

  More silence.When Sherri spoke again, the very thing Jessica hoped to not raise—suspicion—laced each word. “That’s interesting. Because I spoke with him this morning, and he sounded too sick to work.”

  Dang it, I wish I’d known they talked! “I know, but since his promotion that job has been everything.”

  “Tell Nathan I’m getting ready to call and to answer his phone.”

  “He’s asleep, Sherri. I’ll tell him to call you when he wakes up. But don’t worry about him, okay? I’m taking real good care of your brother.”

  “I appreciate that, but I am worried about him and so is Mom. He’s almost never sick. I won’t talk long, but I promised Mom I’d speak to him before calling her back.”

  “Again, when he wakes up”—please let him wake up—“he’ll call you.”

  An hour later, her phone rang again. “Hi, Sherri.”

  “Jessica, he’s still not answering his phone.”

  “He’s still asleep.”

  “Please wake him up. I am very concerned and need to speak with him.”

  “And he needs his rest. If you have a message for him, I’ll be glad to pass it on. But I’m not going to pass my phone to him and I’m not going to turn on his ringer.”

  “You turned his ringer off? How are you going to block calls to my brother? I’m sure you’re doing this out of your concern for him, but can you understand that I’m worrying, too?”

  “But you shouldn’t. Other than this flu bug or whatever that must be going around his office . . . he’s fine.”

  “Don’t you think it’s odd that he’s sleeping so much?”

  “Not for someone with the flu. And it’s his work, too. Like I said, he hasn’t been sleeping much, which is why I am not going to wake him up.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Girl, bye.”

  Jessica hung up quickly, before saying something that she’d later regret. Giving orders and making demands. Who did Sherri think she was talking to? I told her he was fine. Hell, what else does she need to know?

  Nathan woke up shortly thereafter. Jessica chose not to tell Nathan about his sister’s call. Instead, when he finally expressed a desire to eat, she fed him arsenic-laced soup that he washed down with antifreeze-laden orange juice. The sooner this whole sordid deed was done, the sooner she could try and put this horror behind her.

  Two hour later, he was puking like a dog.

  Thirty minutes after that, the doorbell rang.

  Nathan’s brow creased as he looked over his shoulder from his kneeling position in front of the toilet.

  Jessica hurriedly stood and headed for the stairs. “I’ll get rid of whoever it is.” Heart pounding, she raced down the stairs. Now was not the time for an unannounced visit from one of Nathan’s friends.

  At the bottom step she paused to catch her breath, then tiptoed to the front door. A cautious eye glimpsed the view beyond the peephole. Shit! Jessica leaned against the door, her hand covering a heart that now beat furiously. No way could she let this visitor in. Please, just go away.

  As if in answer, the doorbell rang again.

  “Who is it?” An ashen-faced Nathan appeared at the top of the stairs, clutching his stomach.

  “Don’t worry about it, babe. I’ll handle it.”

  Ding. Dong.

  “Jessica, why don’t you just—” Another heave and a race to the bathroom.

  “We don’t want what you’re selling. Stop ringing the damn bell!”

  “Open this door!”

  “That sounds like . . . is that my sister?” Nathan’s voice was a mixture of sickness and surprise.

  “No, babe. Just somebody with magazines, probably a Jehovah’s Witness. Go lie down!”

  The toilet flushed.

  Ding. Dong. Pause. Ding. Dong. A fervent knocking. Ding-dongdingdongdingdong.

  Nathan began slowly making his way downstairs.

  “Babe, don’t! I said I’d handle this!”

  “Not as good as they’re handling that doorbell.”

  Jessica rushed to meet him before his foot touched the bottom step. “Let’s just ignore them,” she suggested, firmly turning him around with a hand on his waist. “Whoever it is will eventually get tired and go away.”

  They were almost to the top of the stairs when both heard a key being placed in the lock. Their heads whipped around in time to see the knob turning and the door opening.

  “What the hell?” Nathan pushed Jessica behind him and hurried down the stairs.

  The door flung open. “Nathan, it’s me!”

  “Sherri?” They fell into each other’s arms for a quick hug. “Sis, I was getting ready to lay out a burglar.” Something between a cough and a laugh flew out of his mouth. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came because—”

  Nathan turned, tripped, and fell.

  “Baby!” Oh, no. Jessica rushed down the stairs to his side.

  CHAPTER 27

  “Nathan!” Sherri rushed toward him.

  She was fast, but Jessica was faster. Effectively blocking Sherri’s approach, she grabbed his shoulders and helped him up. “Come on, babe. Let’s get you back upstairs.”

  “Move out of my way!” Words underscored by a forceful push that sent Jessica tumbling to the spot Nathan had recently occupied. “Brother, are you all right?”

  “Ow!”

  Nathan angrily j
erked his arm from Sherri’s grasp. “Sis, what is wrong with you?” He rushed over to where Jessica sat rubbing a barely bruised shoulder. Her ego had taken the brunt of the fall. “Baby, are you okay?” And then again, to his sister, “What in the hell is this about?”

  “It’s about Jessica refusing to let me talk to you repeatedly, and then hanging up in my face.”

  The ever-ready tears appeared. Jessica thankfully let them fall. This was war, and she needed all possible ammunition. “You needed your rest! I told her you’d call when you woke up.”

  “Are you hurt?” Nathan examined her arm.

  “I was just trying to take care of you, baby.” Her voice was a heart-melting cross between a whine and a coo as she exaggerated a wince.

  “I called all afternoon,” Sherri tried to calmly explain, even though she was almost shaking with anger. “Mom called, too. I told her this, expressed our concerns, and promised to talk for just a minute.”

  Jessica stumbled to her feet, then reached for Nathan. “Babe, let’s go upstairs.”

  “No wait, Jessica.” Nathan looked at Sherri. “Mom called?”

  “Yes, twice. After finding out you weren’t at work she called me, very concerned. You know how Mom is. That’s when I called and talked with her for the second time, trying to reach you.”

  Nate stepped toward his sister and turned to Jessica. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

  Jessica looked at Nathan standing by Sherri’s side. “Come upstairs with me and I’ll explain.” She walked over and took his arm.

  Sherri pulled him in her direction. “You’ll explain later. I had to get on a plane to do it but I will talk to my brother and it’s happening right now, understand?”

  Jessica reached across Nathan to slap Sherri’s arm away from his. “Come on, babe.”

  Sherri blocked their path. “Girl, you are really trying me. You need to go have several seats before things get ugly.” Once again, she started up the stairs with Nathan.

  “I’m not going anywhere!” Jessica came up the stairs and squeezed herself on the other side of Nathan, an act that pushed Sherri into the wall.

  Reaction trumped thought. Sherri reached around Nathan and yanked Jessica’s ponytail so hard girlfriend’s neck almost snapped. Jessica tumbled backward, hit the floor and came up in fighter mode. Sherri was just a second short of pulling out a can of South Side Chicago herself. Before she could rush Sherri, Jessica found herself pinned against the wall with an arm across her throat. “I’m not going to tell you again,” Sherri and Jessica were nose to nose as she spoke through gritted teeth. “ Back. Off. Okay?”

  “Get your hands off me!” Jessica squirmed but her slight frame was no match for Sherri’s anger.

  Nathan stepped between them. “Both of you . . . stop!” The energy to shout these four words caused his head to spin. His chest heaved, and he struggled for breath while looking from one woman to the other with narrowed eyes. “Jessica, Sherri’s the big sis used to taking care of me. Let her play that role for a minute, okay?”

  “I’m your woman, Nate. I should play that role.” She crossed her arms in a huff, eyes glistening yet again as she waited for Nathan to choose Sherri’s side. Again.

  “Then you come up t—”

  “Actually, Nathan, I need to speak to you alone.”

  “So you can make up a lie for why you pushed me down the stairs?”

  Nathan placed an arm around Sherri. “Come on, Sister.” Sherri tossed Jessica a side-eye and a smile.

  Jessica turned to leave. He’d made his choice. He grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Come on, babe. I want you here.” Jessica reciprocated with a smirk and eye roll.

  The three clumsily trudged upstairs to the master suite. Sherri placed her arm around Nathan’s waist. “Come on, Brother. Lean on me.”

  “I’m sick,” Nathan said, with a weak chuckle. “Not an invalid.” He gently took her arm from around his waist and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He came out and quickly climbed into bed. “Baby, can you please get me a glass of water?”

  “Sure, baby.” Jessica hurried downstairs.

  As soon as her footsteps receded, both Nate and Sherri started talking at once, their voices low and hurried.

  “Sherri, what—”

  “Nate, your girl’s about to—” He nodded for her to continue. “That girl is out of line. I was imagining all kinds of scenarios for what might be going on here. You need to let her know how our family operates.”

  “I understand your frustration. She meant well.”

  “Please . . .”

  “That’s just her way of taking care of me. I was asleep.”

  “Which is why I’m so concerned. It’s not like you to sleep all day, and I can’t remember the last time you’ve been this sick. I think you should go back to the doctor, have him take those tests that he recommended.”

  “It’s just a case of stomach flu, or something like that.” Nathan lay against the cushioned headboard, propping a pillow behind him. “I can’t believe you hopped on a plane just because I couldn’t be reached for a few hours.” His gaze was contemplative. “What’s really going on? Problems with you and Randall?”

  “Randall and I are fine.”

  “Aaron or Albany?”

  “No problems with your niece or nephew either.The only problem I have right now is with Jessica. She’s someone I find very hard to like.”

  “You’ve always been hard on my girlfriends. I doubt anybody will totally measure up.”

  This brought a half smile to Sherri’s face. “Perhaps.” She pulled the cover to his chest, and patted it smooth. “But I’m telling you, Nate. My intuition says there was more to Jessica’s blocking my calls than concern for you. For whatever reason, she did not want us to have a conversation. Why not? What is she hiding?”

  “I’m not hiding anything.” Jessica, who’d climbed the steps quieter than a cat burglar, now calmly walked back into the room. She handed Nathan the glass before crawling into bed beside him. She placed a hand against his slightly warm neck, then took the folded towel she’d wetted with cold water and dabbed his face. “You still have a little fever.” She kissed his cheek. “I think the sleep did you good.”

  Sherri placed her hand on his forehead and neck. “You need to have those tests run, Nate, just to be on the safe side.”

  “He’s getting better, Sherri. What he needs is rest, and lots of it.” Jessica dabbed Nathan’s chest with the cool, wet towel. “I’m sorry if over the phone I came off harshly. It wasn’t intentional. It was because Nate is what’s most important to me. Like you, I’m worried about him, and for the very reasons you stated. It’s not like him to sleep a lot, or get sick.”

  “What . . . you were out there eavesdropping?”

  “I know you don’t like me,” she continued, totally ignoring Sherri’s accurate quip. “For the record, I’m not too fond of you either. But”—she held up her hand to stop Sherri’s comeback—“you’re my man’s sister. I don’t plan on going anywhere. So from here on out, I’m going to try and get along. I apologize if you think I was rude.”

  Both she and Nathan looked at Sherri.

  “What? Oh, here is where I’m supposed to be sorry, too? Here is where I forget how just moments ago you tried to keep me out of my own brother’s house?”

  “Your head was turned. I didn’t recognize you.”

  “You’re a liar. I saw the peephole darken, showing that someone looked out. That someone had to look dead in my face.”

  Jessica turned to Nathan. “Is she always this jealous of the women who love you?”

  Sherri’s mouth gaped in astonishment. “Jealous of you? Seriously? Your refusing to let me talk to Nathan is what brought me here, and blatant falsehoods coming out of your mouth is why I called you a liar.”

  “I don’t know why she’s doing this, Nathan.” The message was delivered near his ear in a whisper, as Jessica ran her fingers up and down his arm.

  Nathan look
ed at Sherri, his loyalties clearly torn. “I wish you’d called before coming all the way down here.”

  “Are you not listening?” Sherri crossed her arms. “I did.”

  “Then I wish you’d waited to talk to me before making the trip. I’m a bit under the weather but really, Sis, Jessica is taking care of me.”

  “I just bet she is. All the same since I’m here, I’d like to spend the night.”

  “No problem at all. Babe, can you make sure the guest room is ready?”

  “Never mind, Jessica. I know my way around Nathan’s house.” Sherri left the room.

  For the rest of the evening, Jessica rarely left Nathan’s side. She wisely served him nonpoisonous food and drink, aware that Sherri watched her every move. The next morning, after taking care of him the way he’d cared for her on the ottoman the day before, Jessica felt safe enough to leave sis and bro alone for a quick trip home.

  As soon as Sherri heard the front door close, she left the guest room and walked into the master. “Nathan?” She looked around, then heard the shower running. While waiting for him to finish, she idly walked around the room, looking here and there, thinking this and that. After a while, she heard the water turn off. “Nathan, I’m in here,” she warned. Sherri knew her brother was known for walking around in the buff.

  He came out wearing a pair of sweatpants.

  “You’re looking better.”

  “I feel better. Told you Jessica was taking care of me. I love that girl, Sherri. You need to back off.”

  “Maybe I do.Watching how she took care of you last night made it appear that she loves you, too.That still doesn’t explain why she tried to block our communication.”