by Anna Black
November didn’t smile. “Well, Kendell, I didn’t need a vacation from my family.” She got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom.
After taking off her clothes and putting on the complimentary robe that was hanging near the shower, she used the toilet and brushed her teeth. She stared into the mirror, frustrated and pissed off that she had agreed to come along on the stupid trip. Kendell could have taken care of this by himself, she thought as she dried her hands.
When she shut off the water, she heard tapping on the door.
“November, I could call to get an earlier flight if you’d like,” Kendell offered. “I hate that you’re upset and I feel awful for dragging you out here for nothing. I know being away from your baby is hard, and I’m sorry.”
She opened the door. “No, it’s okay. It’s not your fault, and I’m not trying to take my frustrations out on you. I just have never been away from my baby overnight,” she said, coming out of the bathroom. “But to be perfectly honest, I haven’t slept that good in months.” She sat at the table to eat. “Wow, this is good. Did you eat already?”
“Yeah,” he answered. He sat in the chair across from her. “So you slept well? You look radiant, like you got a great night of sleep. I mean, your skin is flawless, almost like you’re glowing.”
“I woke up like this,” she teased with a smile. He chuckled. “Seriously, I did. That big bed to myself, without Tracy scratching me with his toenails, was nice,” she joked.
“Well, you will have one more peaceful, scratch-less night.”
“I wonder how Tracy slept without me,” she said, going for her phone. She tried home first, but there was no answer. Then she dialed his cell, and when it went straight to voice mail, she decided to try him later. “Well, I guess my guys are doing just fine without me.”
“Or maybe you should relax. Come on, November, we both know you are a dedicated mother and wife. Just take today and do you,” Kendell suggested.
“Do me? I haven’t done me in so long I’ve forgotten how to just do me.”
“Well, today we are gonna jolt your memory. If you wanna shop, then shop. If you wanna sleep, then sleep. Watch TV all day and order room service, be my guest.”
“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea. I hardly ever get me time. It will be good just to do what I wanna do, and not just what I have to do.”
“See? Now, tell me, what do you want to do?”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to go to Central Park. I used to watch Sex and the City faithfully, and it was like Manhattan was the place to be.”
“Well, get dressed and let’s see Manhattan.”
“Okay, but let me try Tracy one more time.” She wanted to see how the baby was doing.
“Okay,” Kendell said and went into the other room of the suite.
She dialed Tracy again and still got no answer. She left him a message and figured he’d call her when he got up.
After she showered and dressed, November and Kendell left to explore the city. They shopped, ate well, and hit every tourist attraction they could. By the time they got back to their suite, November was tired, and her body was aching. She peeled off her boots and sat on the sofa for a moment.
“I have a surprise for you,” Kendell said, coming into the room where she was.
“Oh, really?” she asked curiously.
“Yes. You just go in there and take your shower, and you’ll get it after you come out.”
November smiled. She’d had such a great time with Kendell, and she was sure his surprise would be something good. She got up and tried calling Tracy again. She hadn’t heard from him the entire day, and that was unusual. When he didn’t answer again, she focused on not worrying. She figured if something had happened, April or someone would have called her.
After showering, putting on a set of comfortable cotton pajamas, brushing her teeth, and washing her face, she left the bathroom. She couldn’t wait to see the surprise Kendell had for her.
* * *
“Aww. Ooh, ooh. Yes, that feels good,” November moaned. The sounds of jazz carried softly through the candlelit room. She closed her eyes and sighed.
“You like that?” Kendell asked softly.
“Oh, yes,” she moaned.
“I told you that this would help you feel better.”
“Aww, yes, indeed. If only I could get this every day at home.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Aww, yes. Lower,” she insisted. “Ooh, harder. Yeah. Yeah, oooh, yes, like that. That’s perfect,” she moaned. She didn’t want to move. She wanted it to last forever.
“Just relax, November,” he whispered.
“I am. This is just too good,” she said breathing deeply.
“I knew you’d love it.”
“Yes, yes. Yes, I do. Ooh, Kendell, it does feel good.”
Just then, Tracy burst through the adjoining door. “Motherfucker!” he yelled.
Kendell and November jumped in surprise.
Chapter Twenty-five
Earlier That Day
On Tracy’s flight to New York, he kept telling himself that November was a good woman and he’d surprise her instead of allowing her the opportunity to give Kendell her body. When he got there and they were out, he was disappointed. He waited in the lobby for a couple hours, trying to surprise her, but they never showed.
He didn’t want to go up to his room that was adjoined to their room, because he wanted to see her when she came into the lobby, but he finally just decided to go up and wait for her. He went to the desk and verified that his company had set up the reservations and that the direct billing was going to his credit card for the room, and the clerk gave him a key to both rooms.
He went into their room first and snooped a bit then unlocked the adjoining door. He hurried out of their room and went into his suite to listen for them to come in. After about thirty minutes, he heard Kendell and November talking and laughing, but he could barely make out what they were saying. He stood posted to the door and heard another voice, but the words didn’t come through clear enough.
He heard a little bumping and thumping, but since he couldn’t see what was going on, the suspense drove him insane. Shortly after that, all he heard was soft music and the moaning sounds November made with him. His hands began to shake.
Tracy couldn’t bear to listen another moment. He had had enough. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was so hurt, more hurt than he had imagined he would be. He wished he had never ever set any of this up. He knew he had pushed too hard and had gone too far. Now, the woman he loved was loving another man. The woman he hoped would never give in to Kendell had finally given in to him.
He tried to hold back tears, but it was impossible. He wished he could take it all back. He wished he had stayed in Chicago and just waited for her to come home. That way, he would have never known. Maybe Kendell would have lied and covered up their affair. Hurt gave way to outrage. He hated Kendell for actually touching his wife. He hated himself even more for instigating it. He wanted to kill Kendell.
“You motherfucker!” he yelled, breathing hard.
The room’s inhabitants jumped in surprise. Kendell turned around from the chair he was sitting in, and November’s head popped out of the hole of the massage table she was lying on. The masseur jumped and almost knocked over his little table of oils.
“Tracy!” November yelled.
Kendell looked at him with no words. He just shook his head.
“What’s going on, Tracy?” November asked. “What are you doing here?” She got off the table holding the wrap in place that she had around her body.
Tracy stood there confused, but he was relieved that the unthinkable was not going on. He was so embarrassed he didn’t know what to say.
“Tracy, baby, when did you get here? Please tell me what is going on,” November demanded.
“It’s over, man. It’s over!” Kendell yelled and walked out.
“What’s over, Tracy? What? P
lease say something. Tell me what in the hell is going on.”
The masseur packed his equipment and left quickly.
Tracy stood frozen, too dumbfounded to speak. He had been so wrong about November.
“Baby, say something. What in the hell is going on, Tracy?”
“I’m sorry, Novey. I love you, and I’m sorry.” He turned and walked out.
November didn’t have a clue what had just happened. She ran after him, but he took the stairs. She couldn’t go down without clothes on, so she went back into the room and dressed as quickly as she could. By the time she got down to the lobby, he was nowhere to be found. She dialed his phone repeatedly, but she couldn’t get him. She tried Kendell, but he wouldn’t pick up either. She roamed the lobby hoping to find one of them, but she didn’t. They weren’t out front either.
She had no clue where to begin to look for either of them. She went back up to the room and called Tracy, dialing his number back to back and leaving a ton of messages. She tried calling Kendell, but he still didn’t pick up either.
It’s over. It’s over, was the only thought running through her mind. She sat on the couch and turned on the TV. She tried Tracy again, but nothing, so she went to the wet bar for a drink to ease her mind. Sipping, she paced the floor.
After about an hour, she heard the door. She ran to it, thinking it was Tracy, but when it opened, it was Kendell.
“Kendell, what happened? Have you seen Tracy?” she asked. He didn’t answer her. “Kendell, please, I have to know what’s going on.” She grabbed his arm.
“You don’t wanna know what’s going on, November. You are so in love and so blinded by what you feel. Trust me, you don’t wanna know the truth.”
“What, Kendell? What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
“It’s a lie. Everything was a lie, and your sorry-ass husband is too scared to face you and tell you the truth. Instead, he wants to blame me for his sick, twisted schemes. I’m done with you, and I’m done with him. I’m done with this shit. How I fell into this bullshit is beyond me, but I’m done with it, that’s for damn sure. You go back to your perfect life with your wonderful husband and your fairytale life, like everything is perfect. Best of luck to you.”
“Kendell, I don’t know what this is about. Where is Tracy? What is a lie? You’re not making any sense. What schemes? Tell me what you’re talking about.”
“Your crazy-ass husband is downstairs in the lounge. He would rather blame everybody else for his problems instead of owning up to them. So go downstairs and ask your perfect husband what’s going on. Better yet, I’ll send him up on my way out, because I’m sure he wants another opportunity to swing on me.” He grabbed his garment bag out of the closet and went into the bathroom.
November followed him, asking question after question, but he ignored her. “Kendell, please. I . . . I need to know. Please tell me.”
“November, you are a good person, and you deserve so much more. All I can say is you have to see him for who he is. If he loved you, he’d get some help and stop obsessing over you cheating.”
“What? That’s what this is about?” she said in a panic. “Tracy thinks we are messing around? He thinks we are having an affair? I’ll talk to him, Kendell. I can clear this up!”
“No!” he yelled. He paused for a moment. “I’m sorry for yelling. You’re the victim. You fell in love with the wrong man, and that’s not your fault. Listen, November, you’ve got to get him some help if you love him. If you knew the truth about it all . . .” He paused. “I care for you too much to hurt you. The truth needs to come from him, not me.”
“You tell me the entire truth. Tell me what Tracy said to you.”
“Talk to your husband, November,” he said.
She didn’t fight him anymore. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She turned to him before walking out. “Kendell, please don’t leave. Please. I don’t know what’s going on, but I have a feeling I may need a friend when I’m done.”
He looked at her for a moment without speaking. Finally, he said, “Okay.”
November went downstairs to the lounge, but Tracy was nowhere to be found. She sat down and tried to hold back the tears. What did Tracy do? What did he do to her? Why did he pretend to be happy and okay with her going to New York when he wasn’t? Why did he act like he was so cool with her and Kendell staying in the same room if he thought they were having an affair?
Her cell phone rang. It was Tracy.
“Tracy, thank God. Where are you, baby?”
“Look, I messed up, and I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me.”
“Tracy, what is it? Please tell me. Whatever it is, we can work it out.”
“I wish that were true, my love, but it’s not.”
“Trey, where are you? Let’s talk, baby. I’m your wife. Tell me where you are so I can come and we can talk.”
“Listen, after Kendell tells you the truth—and I know he will—you will never forgive me, so I will stay away for a while and let you decide what you want to do. Just know that I am so sorry, for everything. I have to get my head together and do what everybody has told me, even you, over and over again. I gotta get some help. I love you, Novey. Take care of my son for me. I’m sorry.”
November became angrier. All she wanted was answers, but he refused to give her that. “No, Tracy, you need to tell me what the hell happened. You think I’m having an affair with Kendell. You came out here to try to catch me with Kendell, and then you run out on me. I haven’t done anything, Tracy. Why are you treating me this way? I am not messing with Kendell, so why won’t you talk to me?”
“I know you’re not, November. Dammit! November, I know. It isn’t you. It’s me. I needed so badly to trust you. I tried so hard to trust you, but I just couldn’t. What I did to you is unforgivable. You didn’t deserve what I did. You didn’t do anything wrong, baby. It’s not you. I love you, Novey, but I have a problem, and I’ve got to do this on my own.”
“Please, Tracy,” she cried. She wanted to see him. She wanted to know the truth. She wanted to know what in the hell he was talking about.
“Novey, I love you and TJ. I’ll be in touch.” He ended the call.
November called him right back, dialing him again and again, but he didn’t answer. Somehow, she managed to make her way back upstairs without breaking down completely. When she opened the door, Kendell was still there, just like he said he would be.
Kendell had contemplated whether he should leave. He didn’t want to just bail because, after she talked to Tracy, he was sure she was going to need him. Plus, he was guilty too, so he knew he’d have to face the music. He knew she was going to be mad at him too but oh, well. He fixed a stiff drink, sat down on the sofa, and waited for her to return.
When she walked in, her face was drenched with tears. She went over to him and cried in his arms. After a few moments of sobbing, she went into the bathroom. She came back and sat down with him, and her eyes started watering again.
“Don’t cry, November. I don’t want to see you cry.”
“I just don’t know what I did. I tried to be a good wife. I tried to be,” she said, sobbing again. “He said you would tell me the truth. What is he talking about, Kendell? Please, somebody needs to tell me something.”
“November, don’t. Please.” He reached for one of her hands and held it.
“Kendell, what did he do? How does this involve you?”
“November, you don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do. If Tracy won’t tell me and you know something, you need to tell me.”
Kendell sighed and released her hand. “November, first I want to tell you that I am sorry. It started out only to prove a point, but I . . . I went with it like a jackass, and I’m so sorry. I knew I should have said no in the first place.” He told her the entire story. He even told her that, in the process, he fell for her. He didn’t leave anything out.
November jumped to her feet. “So, you mean to
tell me my husband went through all of this just so you could get me in bed? He put you up to wine and dine me, in hopes I’d forget about my vows to him and give you some pussy? He basically pimped me out to you!” she yelled.
“Well, that was the plan, but I swear to you that I didn’t want things to go down like that. You gotta believe me. I tried so many times to call it off, I promise. I wasn’t trying to get you in bed. I honestly thought you were someone else in the beginning, but after seeing that you were not the woman Tracy described, I didn’t want to do it anymore. But it was too late. I had already taken the money and Tracy wouldn’t ease up.”
“Oh,” she spat, “you care about me so much, but you couldn’t tell me what was going on, Kendell?”
“I didn’t wanna see you hurt, November. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“Whatever, Kendell. You’re no better than Tracy. You’re not a saint or innocent.”
“November, stop it, okay? I know I was wrong, and I’m not making any excuses for myself. I was stupid to go along with it, but I never wanted things to go this far. I didn’t want it to happen this way. I wanted to go home tomorrow and tell Tracy that nothing happened and let that be the end of this charade. I had no idea Tracy was coming to New York. We never talked about him coming here.”
“You’re no different,” she cried.
“Please, November, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I wish I would have told you the truth a long time ago.”
“But you didn’t. I don’t trust you, and I don’t want to ever see you again.”
“Come on, November, don’t say that. I will never cross any lines with you. I want you to be happy, and if that is with Tracy, I want that for you. I never tried to sleep with you, and you know that. I thought that once I came on this trip, we would go home and everything would be normal. As much as I care about you, November, and want to have you for myself, I didn’t go there with you because I respect you. We work well together, and I don’t want to stop working with you.”
“You don’t actually think we can just go back to normal, Kendell, do you? I mean, seriously?”