“Done,” JT said, remembering how quickly Carmen had given him a key the same day she’d moved in and how he would gladly take the money from one of his personal accounts. He would withdraw it from the one Alicia didn’t know about.
“So, when do you want this taken care of?”
“Soon. And, Steve, if you do this, I’ll owe you for life.”
“I appreciate that, but you know I’m glad to serve in any way I can. I’m glad to do it free of charge.”
Chapter 27
Rita’s bed was surrounded by monitors and all sorts of other equipment, and a breathing tube was secured down her throat. From her left arm ran an IV tube, and from the looks of the minimal amount of fluid left in the hanging bag, it was time for it to be replaced.
Alicia stood next to Carmen and wished there was something she could do to make things better. Rita looked as pale as ever, and still, there were no signs of improvement. Her heart still beat, but with the exception of that, her body wasn’t doing much else on its own.
“So, how are you young ladies today?” Dr. Mehta asked, walking in.
“Okay,” Carmen said, forcing a smile.
“How are you, Doctor?” Alicia added.
“I’m fine. A little tired, but I’m good.”
Carmen rubbed her mom’s forehead and then looked at Dr. Mehta. “So, how long do you think she’s going to be like this? How long will it be before she wakes up?”
“I wish I could say, but unfortunately, I just don’t know. Sometimes it can take a lot longer than we would like.”
Carmen’s eyes turned teary, and Alicia placed her arm around her.
Dr. Mehta flipped through Rita’s chart and glanced at her vitals on the digital screen. “For the most part, all we can do is give her more time.”
Carmen sniffled. “I just don’t understand why this is happening. My mom is only forty-five years old. I mean, who would ever expect something like this to happen to their parents when they’re my age?”
“I know,” he said. “And I’m very sorry.”
Alicia wanted to ask him if Rita really did have a chance of recovering, but she didn’t have the nerve to question him in front of Carmen.
“Well, I’m going to head out to see a couple of my other patients, but I’ll be in bright and early in the morning before I begin my surgery schedule for the day.”
“Thank you so much for everything,” Carmen told him.
“You’re quite welcome.”
After Dr. Mehta left, Alicia and Carmen stayed for a few more minutes and then went back out to the long-term family waiting area, which, interestingly enough, was empty right now. This particular room was a lot more relaxed; it offered more of an at-home kind of atmosphere and was utilized by families who had very sick loved ones. It was even furnished with a microwave, a refrigerator, and a huge flat-screen television, and there were board games and puzzles stacked inside a large wooden entertainment center.
Alicia sat down in one of the plush recliners, and Carmen settled into the other one.
“You know,” Carmen began, “I can’t help but wonder if this is all my fault.”
Alicia looked at her. “How do you mean?”
“Well, I certainly haven’t been perfect, and I’ve done a lot of things I’m sure God isn’t happy about. So, I have to wonder if my horrible sins are the reason my mom is ill.”
“I really doubt that, and you shouldn’t blame yourself for any of what’s going on. I can’t explain why your mom had that aneurysm, but what I do know is that God doesn’t purposely cause any of us a lot of pain and suffering. He does allow some bad things to happen, but He would never intentionally try to hurt anyone.”
“But not only have I committed sins, I’m still committing a lot of the same ones right now.”
“I’ve committed sins as well, but last year, I completely turned my life around, and I truly believe God has forgiven me. Which means he’ll do the same thing for you, too.”
“You really think so?”
“I honestly do. It’s never too late to confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and then live our lives the way God wants us to.”
Carmen reached for Alicia’s hand. “You are such a good friend to me, and I’ll never be able to repay you enough for being here with me.”
“I’m here because I love you, and I’ll stay by your side for as long as you need me.”
Carmen breathed deeply and then paused for a few seconds. “Alicia, there’s something I really need to tell you,” she said, but they both looked behind them when they heard someone calling Alicia’s name.
“Oh my God,” Alicia said, smiling at her ex-husband and then standing and hugging him. “Phillip, what are you doing here?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. You’re not here for your mom or stepfather, are you?”
“No,” she said, touching Carmen’s shoulder. “This is a very good friend of mine, and her mother had an aneurysm yesterday.”
“Oh my. I’m really sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you,” Carmen said, and Alicia could tell she was wondering who he was.
“Carmen, this is my ex-husband, Phillip.”
“Oh, it’s very nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice meeting you as well.”
“So, who are you here for?” Alicia asked him.
“One of our church members. When I moved back to the area, I resumed my old position as assistant pastor, so I try to go see as many members as I can on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”
“Oh,” she said. That was just like Phillip. Always trying to do right by others and always going out of his way to show how much he cared about people.
“So, how are your mom and your dad James doing?”
“They’re doing well, and actually we were visiting them yesterday when Carmen’s mom fell ill. How’s your mom?”
“She’s doing great. As busy as ever.”
“Good, and you’ll have to tell her I said hello.”
“I will.”
Alicia and Phillip smiled like two teenagers who’d just met for the first time, and it was obvious that neither of them knew what to say next. Thankfully, Carmen broke the silence.
“I’m going to go back in to check on my mom for a few minutes. I know we just left her, but I really want to see her again. Then I’m going to run down to the cafeteria to get something to eat.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, you stay here and visit. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? Oh, and wait. There was something you said you wanted to tell me.”
“I know, but there’s no rush. We can just talk about it later.”
“Okay, well, I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“So,” Phillip said without hesitation. “How have you been?”
“Good. And you?”
“I’m doing well. Although, maybe not as well as you, because I hear you just got married.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Are you happy?”
Alicia didn’t mean to pause before answering but finally said, “Yes. I am.”
“I’m glad, because happiness is all I ever wanted for you.”
“That’s very kind of you to say. But what about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Sort of.”
“Is it Shandra?”
Now Phillip hesitated. Then he said, “Yes.”
Alicia knew it was wrong for her to care one way or the other, but she wasn’t thrilled to hear about his dating another woman. She definitely didn’t like hearing that he was seeing his high school sweetheart, and she couldn’t help feeling a little envious. She had no right, of course, but Phillip still held a special place in her heart. She’d tried telling herself that she no longer loved him, but now that she was seeing him face-to-face, she wasn’t so sure.
“So, did you already see the person you came to visit?” she asked, changing the subject.
“No. I was on my way to his ro
om and as I was passing, I just so happened to look in here. I wasn’t positive it was you until I opened the door and came in, but I’m so glad I did.”
“I’m glad you did, too.”
“So, have you spoken to your dad lately?”
“Yeah, I called him earlier to ask him to pray for Carmen’s mom. What about you?”
“I haven’t talked with him since this past weekend, but we try to stay in touch as much as possible.”
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, because everyone knows that Daddy thinks the world of you.”
“And the feeling’s mutual. I may be here in Chicago, but Curtis is still my mentor and I’m still learning a lot from him.”
“I can imagine,” she said, but was at a loss for words again. Phillip seemed to be searching for something else to say as well and Alicia knew why. He still had feelings for her, and God forgive her, she still had very strong feelings for him, too.
“So, your dad tells me you finished your novel and that you’ve signed with his agent.”
“I did, and now she’s in the submission process with editors.”
“Wow, baby…I mean…well, you know what I mean. Anyway, I’m really happy for you.”
“Thanks, and actually, you should take some of the credit because you always encouraged me to keep writing until I finished. Even when we weren’t getting along.”
“I did it because I knew you were good and that you deserved to be published.”
Just then two sixtysomething women who looked like sisters walked in, said hello, dropped a couple of overnight bags on the floor, and went back out.
“They must be planning to be here for a while,” Phillip said.
“Probably so. I’m sure a lot of people stay for days just like Carmen is planning to do. I guess it just feels better to stay close when someone you love is fighting for their life.”
“There’s no doubt about it,” he said, and the moment between them became awkward again. Not in a bad way but in a bashful, nervous, and uncharted-territory sort of manner—uncharted because while they’d once been completely in love with each other and had taken marital vows before God, this whole seeing-each-other-for-the-first-time-after-the-divorce-and-still-experiencing-intense-chemistry thing was a bit overwhelming. Not to mention Alicia had a new husband. She was married to a man she loved and one who cherished her very being, so none of what she was feeling made any sense.
Alicia and Phillip sat watching CNN and made small talk, and Carmen soon returned.
“So, what did you get to eat?”
“I had a tuna croissant and some fries.”
“Good. Because it really was time you ate something.”
“Well,” Phillip said, standing up, “I guess I’d better get going. But before I do, would you like me to go say a prayer for your mom, Carmen? Because I would be more than happy to.”
“Yes. My mom needs all the prayer she can get, so if you don’t mind, I would really appreciate that.”
“I don’t mind at all,” he said, and the three of them headed toward the intensive care unit. They strode down the corridor, Carmen walking slightly in front and Alicia and Phillip walking side by side. They continued on their way, and it wasn’t long before Alicia felt a wonderful sense of comfort. But then she thought about JT and felt a tremendous sense of guilt.
Chapter 28
JT typed in his user ID and password and waited for his account details to pop onto the screen. He’d already browsed it late last evening, but he couldn’t help looking yet again. First he saw a transfer amount of one hundred thousand dollars and then a second for fifty thousand. It was all there, every single dollar, and now he really would be able to pay for the hundred-thousand-dollar media campaign and also give Barb the fifty thousand she was demanding. Everything was working out exactly the way he wanted it to, and he couldn’t have been happier.
Although he did wonder if this really would be the end of Blackmailing Barb, and sadly, he knew there was no way to guarantee it. He knew her word basically meant nothing and that all he could do was hope the money he was preparing to give her would more than suffice and that she would disappear. He couldn’t be sure one way or the other, but he would pray for that kind of outcome just the same.
JT scrolled through his account information, clicked on a few other general banking items, and then signed out. He was all set on the financial front, and that made him think about Veda and how it wouldn’t be long before he’d be able to search for and purchase that nice little getaway property he’d been thinking about. It would be his home away from home and the place where he could spend all his private time with Veda whenever she was able to fly in from Minneapolis, and also with any other women he might connect with from time to time. He wouldn’t go looking for another mistress, but he was slowly beginning to accept the fact that he needed to be with different women. He needed a variety of them to choose from, and there was no use trying to fight the inevitable. He wasn’t sure why, but this morning, he’d done a lot of soul searching and had come to the same conclusion over and over again: He loved or cared about all the women in his life, but none of them was enough. Not Alicia, not Diana, not Veda, and certainly not Carmen. So, in the end, he was who he was and there was simply no changing that.
JT pulled out his BlackBerry and dialed Veda’s cell number. It rang three times before she answered.
“How are you?” he said.
“I’m well. How are you?”
“Fine, now that I’m talking with you.”
“I saw that you called me, but on Monday, I was with my son and some of my relatives, and then yesterday I had meetings back-to-back.”
“I figured as much, but you know I missed hearing your voice, though, right?”
“I missed you as well.”
“Did you have a good holiday?”
“I did. It was actually better than I expected it to be. And yours?”
“It was okay. One of the people in attendance had a medical emergency, but before that, the day had turned out pretty nicely.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it wasn’t too serious.”
“Unfortunately, it is, but we’re praying for her to get better. So, tell me,” he said, no longer wanting to focus on Carmen or her mother. “When will I get to see you again?”
“I don’t know. Hopefully soon, though.”
“What about this coming weekend?” he asked, seeing no reason to wait any longer than that.
“I wish I could, but remember, my son’s graduation is on Friday, and I’m throwing him a party on Saturday.”
“Oh, that’s right. You did mention that, but I totally forgot. Well, then, how about next weekend?” he asked, removing the phone from his ear. He’d heard the Call Waiting signal but now that he saw it was Carmen, he frowned and ignored it.
“I’ll check my schedule and will let you know as soon as I can. I think I’m pretty open, though.”
“Good. Because I really need to see you. I’ve been thinking about you a lot, and if we don’t get together soon, I’m afraid I’ll die from withdrawal symptoms.”
Veda laughed and so did JT, but then he said, “You think it’s funny, girl, but I’m serious.”
“Whatever you say,” she said, still chuckling.
“I really do miss you, Veda. I miss seeing you, holding you—I miss everything about you.”
“Well, the truth is, I miss you, too. I’m not sure why, but I do.”
“Meaning?”
“That I don’t even know you. And you don’t know me, so it’s not normal for two people to feel this way about each other so quickly.”
“Yeah, but stranger things than that happen all the time, and for the most part none of us has any control over who we fall for. It’s pretty much just the nature of the beast, so to speak.”
“I guess.”
The two of them paused for a few seconds and then JT said, “Well, I suppose I’ll let you get going, but definitely call me once you
know if you’re able to come down.”
“I will.”
“Take care, love.”
“You, too.”
JT hung up and wished Veda was right there in his office. If she had been, church building or not, he probably would have torn her clothes right off of her. He wanted her badly, and the sooner she was able to fly back to the Windy City, the better off he would be. At least for that moment, anyway.
After sorting through a few files on his desk, JT summoned Janet into his office so she could give him an update.
“So, how’s the mailing process moving along?”
“Wonderfully,” she said, standing just a couple of feet away from him. “All the packages are stuffed, sealed, labeled, and ready to be shipped.”
“Great.”
“I’m planning to send everything out by UPS this afternoon, and they should arrive at each respective church either by Friday or no later than Monday. Then, if I don’t hear anything within the first couple of weeks, I’ll begin following up with each church secretary, making sure they received the information.”
“I hadn’t even thought that far ahead, but that’s an excellent idea. Also, just so you know, I’ve been speaking with an ad executive at a well-known agency downtown, and he’s compiling a listing of top radio and TV stations here in the Chicago area. He’s also creating a proposal for me, but for the most part, I’ll want you to be the primary contact. I’ll want to see everything before any final decisions are made, but I’ll want you to communicate with him by phone and e-mail. I’ll also have you sit in on any physical meetings I might schedule with him as well.”
“No problem. I’ll be glad to.”
“There is one other thing that you should know, though. I’ve given him a budget of one hundred thousand dollars to work with.”
Janet looked at him quietly, but he could tell she was taken aback. She was clearly shocked, and before she could ask any questions or think suspiciously, he said, “I know that sounds like a lot, but I’ve been saving money for something like this all along. I mean, I always knew we could raise the money from our parishioners, but since that could take months, I decided to just go for it. I want to move now, and to be honest, I really do believe that this is what God wants. He wants me to use my own money for this entire project.”
Be Careful What You Pray For Page 16