Deliver Me

by Farrah Rochon

  “Umm...okay. Well, my advice is that the two of you either move to an apartment where there are no stairs or request that your landlord put in a stair lift ASAP. You definitely cannot walk up two flights of stairs in your condition,” he said to Amanda. “With your history, we have to cut out all risk.”

  Jeffrey rose and extended his hand across the desk. After Eli shook it, the man went to his wife’s side and tried to help her out of the chair.

  She flung off the offending hand. Jeffrey looked sheepishly over at Eli; his hands now resting at his sides as they both watched his wife struggle to lift from the chair.

  “Thank you again, Dr. Holmes,” Amanda said. She clutched her small purse to her side and turned for the door. Eli quickly made it around the desk and to the door; not wanting to witness what would happen if her husband attempted to open it for her.

  “Thanks, Doctor,” Jeffrey said again. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy. His situation was far beyond flowers and candy. Eli doubted anything less than having the O’Jays serenade his wife while feeding her chocolate-dipped strawberries was going to help Jeffrey Daniels get out of the doghouse.

  “I’ll see the two of you in a week,” he said to their retreating backs.

  Eli spent the last hour of his workday shuffling around the paperwork on his desk. If there was one thing about his job he absolutely despised, it was paperwork. As soon as the brass hands on the wall clock landed in a perfect vertical line, Eli shoved away from his desk and snatched his light windbreaker from the coat rack. He grabbed his keys, switched off the light, and pulled the door close behind him, locking it and repocketing the keys.

  There was a game on tonight, and Eli was looking forward to a quiet night at home. Alone.

  Alicia had a business trip that would keep her overnight in Houston, and Eli welcomed the one night reprieve. She was becoming a little too clingy for his taste.

  Eli made it to the parking lot about ten minutes after six. If the gods were shining down on him, afternoon traffic would be clear and he’d be sitting in front of his big screen television by kickoff.

  He started up the Rover, pulled out, and had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting a gray Honda.

  His heart didn’t know whether to lift or sink at the sight of Monica Gardner’s angry face sitting behind the wheel. She made a slight forward motion, obviously putting the car in park, and opened the door. One look at the fury in those hazel-colored eyes and Eli knew this wouldn’t be good. He got out and met her halfway between their two vehicles.

  “Was the DMV stupid enough to issue you a driver’s license, or did you buy it from Wal-Mart?”

  She obviously wasn’t looking for an answer, so Eli casually crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. She was at least a foot shorter than he was, and the view from where he stood was absolutely stunning. Her soft, flowery scent did crazy things to his senses.

  “Well, say something.”

  He could tell by the strain in her voice she was diligently working to contain a scream. Eli had an instant vision of her screaming under much more pleasurable circumstances. He tried not to smile.

  “This is the second time you’ve nearly run me over today, Dr. Holmes.”

  “What?” Her accusation knocked him out of his lust-filled daydream.

  “This exact black Range Rover almost clipped my feet off when I came in this morning. I had to jump a good three feet back to prevent getting rolled over.”

  “It wasn’t me.”

  “Is there another employee with the same color and model SUV?”

  Eli shook his head in the negative.

  “I rest my case,” she finished with triumphant sassiness. He loved a sassy woman.

  “Whatever you say,” Eli answered with a shrug. “I didn’t see you this morning, and you must have come around that curve pretty fast because I looked both ways before pulling out just a minute ago.”

  “I must have been driving fast?”

  Eli decided he liked her angry. Probably because that’s the only way he’d seen her so far, but also because of the passion she exuded. Monica Gardner was an intriguing contradiction. Her eyes shimmered with blatant disapproval, yet Eli sensed she was enjoying this little tete-e-tete as much as he was.

  He had to figure out just where she fit in his world. Her occupation was a solid mark against her. After that incident back in medical school involving a fling with one of his professors, Eli had vowed never to get romantically involved with another doctor. But he’d still rather have her as an ally than an enemy, even if he refused to date her.

  If he refused to date her?

  Man, he was getting cocky. This woman probably wouldn’t agree to a date with him for all the money in Fort Knox. He didn’t have to worry about breaking his rule where she was concerned. But, still, he didn’t want her to dislike him.

  “Look, we obviously got off on the wrong foot,” Eli said, extending his hand again.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re just figuring that out?”

  “Are you going to allow me to speak?”

  She gave him a decidedly disinterested look, took a step back and rested her hands on her hips. The stance caused her breasts to thrust forward.

  The sight left Eli without a single coherent thought. Or, maybe it was the act of running her tongue lightly over her bottom lip that had snatched all thoughts from his brain. The unconscious action left her luscious lips glistening and unbelievably inviting.

  “Dr. Holmes?”

  Her snapping fingers finally caught his attention. He’d never had one put him in a trance before. There was something seriously different about this woman.

  “I hope you don’t space out like that during a delivery,” she said.

  “I’m sorry, it’s been a rough day and this conversation is not making it any easier.”

  “Well, your day would have gotten ten times worse had you run me over. You need to be alert when you get behind that wheel,” she warned, then turned and headed for her car.

  “Nice to know you’re concerned about my welfare,” Elijah called out to her retreating form, unable to keep his mouth from breaking out into a smile.

  She opened her car door and stood with her hand resting on the window. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m an emergency room physician. You cause a five-car pile up and they’re calling me back to work. I’ve got a big night planned and I won’t have you ruin it.”

  She slid behind the wheel, and Eli chuckled to himself as he watched the Honda exit the parking garage.

  Chapter Five

  A jackknifed 18-wheeler held up traffic on Interstate 10 for over an hour. A long, excruciating hour spent in insufferable silence in a car with the woman he loved more than life itself.

  Jeffrey blew out a puff of air and tapped his fingers in a nervous rhythm against the steering wheel. He was nervous around his own wife.

  If this wasn’t the most ridiculous thing in the world.

  Not just nervous, he was afraid to even glance at her. These days, even the littlest thing seemed to set her off. It had come to the point where he hated talking to her.

  But, when he thought about it, Jeffrey realized this was probably the best place to bring up his concerns. Stuck in traffic as they were, she probably wouldn’t listen, but she couldn’t run away either.

  She sat with her back ramrod straight. The rigid posture reminded Jeffrey of her sister, Regina: the terror that could have been his wife. Although, when he thought about how things presently were with Amanda, Jeffrey wondered if he would have been better off with Regina.

  No. He loved Amanda. Loves. He still loves Amanda.

  The sadomasochistic relationship he and Regina once shared could never compare to the bone deep euphoria he felt every time he even looked into Amanda’s eyes. He’d never truly understood the concept of breathtaking beauty before the day he’d met his wife. She affected him on so many levels. Physically. Emotionally. In every way.

  Je
ffrey could remember the feeling of tightness in his chest when she would look at him from across the table as they ate dinner. The satisfying contentment that came with knowing he would spend the rest of his life staring into that heavenly face.

  As he looked out of the corner of his eye at her erect form sitting just inches away in the passenger seat of their Ford Explorer, Jeffrey couldn’t believe it was the same woman he’d pledged to honor and cherish for the rest of his days. The woman he’d married was not this cold, unfeeling person. The woman he’d married would never flinch at his touch.

  But this woman did. And he had no idea how, or even if she would ever again be his Amanda.

  A deep, searing pain pierced his chest.

  Jeffrey let out a slow breath before saying softly, “Amanda?” She remained silent. Jeffrey gripped the steering wheel in frustration. “Can’t you even acknowledge my question?”

  “You didn’t ask a question,” she said in a soft, stoic whisper, as if she weren’t aware she’d even spoken.

  “Dammit, Amanda! I’m tired of this. Have we gotten to the point where we can’t even talk anymore?”

  She let out an exaggerated sigh and shifted in the seat. She still didn’t look at him. Instead, she stared at the crowded highway ahead.

  “Exactly what do you want to talk about?”

  This wasn’t the time to bring it up. Not when she was in this mood. But when wasn’t she in some type of mood? Even before she became pregnant she’d made an abrupt metamorphosis into this person who wasn’t receptive to anything he had to say. He might as well just come out with it.

  “We need to talk about what Dr. Holmes discussed with us today.”

  “What about it?” she asked glacially.

  “Don’t do this, Amanda.”

  “If you want to have a conversation, you need to stop speaking in riddles. Now, exactly what about today’s appointment is such a burning issue with you?”

  “You need to move back into the house,” he stated bluntly.

  She was quiet for a moment, before saying in a soft voice, “No, I do not.”

  “You heard what Dr. Holmes said. Stairs are out of the question, and you can’t do anything strenuous.”

  “I don’t plan on taking up kick boxing.”

  Her calmness pissed him off. Jeffrey would have preferred she show some kind of emotion--even anger. To have her remain so cold, so unfeeling, made it seem as if she didn’t care anymore. If she didn’t care, then Jeffrey knew he’d lost her.

  “You have to climb two flights of stairs to get to that apartment. You can’t stay there. I’m not letting you endanger the baby.”

  She turned to him, the first gleam of fire in her eyes he’d seen in months. “Do you think I would intentionally put my child in danger?”

  “I don’t know. You weren’t very excited when you found out you were pregnant.”

  Amanda sucked in a breath, her eyes wide and wounded. “How dare you.” Her fierce words were drenched in hurt.

  It was a cheap shot and he knew it. Both he and Amanda had been floored when they discovered their one night of booze and memories had resulted in a baby, especially since years of fertility treatments had only left them with heartache.

  “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

  The traffic started moving again. Jeffrey bypassed the exit that would have taken them to the apartment complex Amanda had moved into when she’d decided she could no longer stomach living in the same house with him. Ten minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of the house they’d shared for eleven years as husband and wife.

  “Just for a few days, Amanda. Let’s try it out and see how it works.”

  She remained silent.

  “Amanda...”

  “I need some things from my apartment.”

  Jeffrey let out a rush of air he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

  “A few days,” she stated. “That’s all I’m willing to give.”

  Monica sprinkled a few drops of balsamic vinegar over the exotic concoction of leafy vegetables and tossed them around the bowl with wooden salad tongs. She threw in a few croutons from the box on the counter and carried her dinner to the sofa to eat in front of the television.

  The warm colors in her inviting living room helped ease the tension from her neck and shoulders. Monica loved her new apartment, with its brick fireplace and wrought-iron balcony overlooking a cozy courtyard. It was vastly different from any of the places she’d lived in St. Louis, and the more she thought about it, the more Monica realized this place was just her style.

  Maybe that’s why she’d been in such a rut for so long? She had been immersed in the wrong scenery.

  Monica stabbed a leaf of spinach and stuffed it into her mouth. She reached over, grabbed the remote from the end table and flipped through a few of the sixty thousand channels on digital cable. The necessity for a channel dedicated just to game shows, or golf, was beyond her.

  The phone rang. Monica pushed the mute button while reaching for it. She cradled the headset between her shoulder and chin.

  “Hello?”

  “What’s up, girl?” It was her best friend, Nia.

  “Just killing a few brain cells while I eat dinner,” Monica answered. “What’s up with you?”

  “My life is as boring as ever, which is why I called. Give me some details, girl. How do you like it so far?”

  “It’s been great, except for the fender bender I had today. Other than that, New Orleans is wonderful.”

  “Meet any men?”

  “That’s not the reason I’m here, Nia. In fact, the male species is the absolute last thing on my mind.”

  Monica crossed both her fingers and toes after telling that lie. Ever since her run in with a certain obstetrician, the male species—one delectably fine specimen, in particular—had taken up every crook and crevice of her mind. Not an hour had passed today when Dr. Elijah Holmes’ image had not run through her head. Anytime his name was mentioned, Monica found herself straining to hear the conversation. It was pathetic.

  She tried to tell herself the only reason she paid attention to anything concerning the man was to make sure she wasn’t around if he had to make another trip down to the ER. She’d had her fill of his arrogance at their first meeting.

  Yet, Monica couldn’t deny the tingle of excitement that had crept up her spine when she’d seen him at the end of the day—even though he’d almost mowed her down. Again.

  “Just because it’s not your number one priority does not mean you can’t look,” Nia chastised. “If not for yourself, you can find someone for me.”

  “You have a husband,” Monica reminded her.

  “I’m getting tired of him.”

  Monica laughed. Her best friend would never tire of her husband. Nia and Phillip were sickeningly in love. The fact that Phillip was Monica’s older brother by four years made their relationship even more special. Their union had legally made them sisters, although in her heart, she’d been Nia’s sister forever.

  It was because of her best friend that Monica and Phillip now shared such a strong connection. Although he claimed he’d never fostered it, Monica had been immersed in an unhealthy sibling rivalry with her older brother since childhood. Phillip had been the golden child, and Monica had spent her entire life playing catch up. It wasn’t until Nia had demanded Monica and Phillip finally talk things through that they had opened up to each other about their strained relationship. Monica was closer to her brother now than when they’d lived in the same house.

  “I won’t close my eyes to any romantic possibilities,” Monica reassured Nia. “But I’m not actively seeking anyone out, either. I can use a little me time.”

  “I hear that, girl. Sometimes, I’m ready to knock Phillip unconscious with a skillet upside the head just so I can have the house to myself for a few hours.”

  “Oh, shut up. You know you’d go crazy if he didn’t call you at least five times a day.”

  “Nah, three’s enou
gh.” They both laughed.

  “So, when do you think you can make it down here?” Monica asked as she flipped silently through a few more channels.

  “As soon as we’re done with the union contract negotiations. After all the work I’ve put in, I’m not letting any of the imbeciles I work with close the deal.”

  “I agree with you there.”

  “Besides, Phillip would go ballistic if I left in the middle of the house renovations. He can’t decide on a simple paint color without asking me a hundred questions about it.”

  “As if you’d let anything be done in that house without your approval,” Monica snorted. Her best friend was nothing if not bossy.

  “And you got that right.”

  Monica shook her head. Nia would never change.

  “Well, handle your business. Just know that you’ve got a bed waiting for you in the French Quarters when you’re done.”

  “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into a hot beignet,” Nia crooned.

  “We’ll have them fresh every morning,” Monica promised.

  “That’s Phillip pulling into the drive,” Nia said. “I need to go.”

  “Give him my love.”

  “Will do. I’ll talk to you later, honey. You take it easy.”

  “I love you, girl.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Monica settled the cordless phone back onto its base and was suddenly overwhelmed by a surging rush of homesickness. She missed her best friend. To a certain extent, she even missed her family. Monica allowed a small smile to trace across her lips at the thought. She had spent most of her teenage years trying to get out of her parent’s house. The fact that she missed her family came as a surprise, even to her.

  The Gardner household had never been close-knit. They didn’t have the time to become close; everyone had been too busy pursuing their goals. Their parents had demanded excellence from their three children. Phillip hadn’t disappointed, becoming the youngest person to make partner at his law firm, a firm he now owned outright. Ashley, who had come as a surprise gift from the stork when Monica was eighteen, was a child virtuoso. She had mastered Mozart by the age of ten and had spent the last four years studying at Julliard.