by Riley Moreno
When she finally made it home she saw that the lights were on in the living room and Leo’s car was in the drive. She thanked the driver, tipped him heavily and went in with her heart in her throat. She didn’t want to see Leo, she didn’t want to talk to him, she just wanted to pack a bag of clothes and get out of there.
“Regina?” he called coming around the corner, his shirt half open, his hair tussled like he’d been running his fingers through them. “Where were you?” he asked coming forward. “I looked all over for you; you weren’t answering your phone.”
Regina didn’t respond. She pushed past him to reach their bedroom but he held her shoulder.
“Regina I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I was angry,” he kissed her earlobe. “I was being ridiculous.”
“No you were right,” Regina said. “You should find someone who wants the things you do.”
“Regina, please,” Leo tried to kiss her but she turned her face away. “I didn’t mean it.”
“I mean it,” Regina said. “I’m going to pack some things and move out. I’ll get the rest of my stuff when I find a place.”
“Regina,” Leo looked hurt and Regina was glad. She had wanted to hurt him just as much as he had hurt her, to know that she could, that she mattered.
She threw a few clothes in to a large suitcase and changed her clothes. Leo watched her from the door but didn’t try to stop her. When Regina walked by him he held out a hand at first Regina thought he was going to stop her again but then she saw that his eyes were blood shot and his jaw was clenched in anger.
“This is on you,” he bit out. “You’re the one walking away from this.”
“Don’t kid yourself Leo,” Regina said more calmly than she felt. “You walked away first. But if it makes you feel better about yourself I don’t mind taking them blame. I’ve always been stronger than you anyway.”
She walked away from the only man she ever loved and even though her heart was breaking she didn’t shed a single tear.
Chapter Five
Estranged
Living in the office wasn’t as hard as most people said it was but it was sad. Regina missed Anita’s morning coffee, the fresh squeezed juice and the delicious breakfast. She also missed Leo. She had finally allowed herself a good cry once she’d sat down on her office sofa.
Her suitcase was hidden in the small closet inside her office bathroom. The emergency closet housed a few suits and spare blouses and shoes in case of accidents. Regina had never had an accident but after Rachel Hendricks popped all her buttons in a court proceeding and Nina Lutz went toppling off the court steps when her heel broke Regina had kept a spare closet well stocked. Jeffery hardly went in there and wouldn’t notice her suitcase and cosmetics bag.
Regina brushed the crumbs of her doughnut off her desk hoping it would stay down. She hadn’t had a cup of coffee in days, not because she was thinking of the baby’s health, but because it hurt too much to puke it all out. It burned worse than acid. Her breasts ached to the touch; her feet had swollen slightly so wearing a pair of heels was a form of self-torture.
And women look forward to this? Regina massaged her aching neck, shrugged it off and hunkered down to work. She had a busy day ahead of her; several client meetings and a session in court.
She’d also slotted time to meet Frank Simpson. She’d read his testimony and some of the things he said didn’t make sense. She wanted to meet the man face to face and talk about Dakota and the relationship she had with her sister. Regina found Diana’s morbid interest in her sister’s life unnerving. She wanted to know how the aunt had been with her nephews and nieces.
Regina found herself glancing at Leo’s picture on her desk. It was taken five months ago in the Alps, Leo was kissing her cheek and she was laughing with her mouth open. Regina felt a physical pang every time she glanced at it. Around midmorning Regina put the picture in her desk. There was no use thinking about him and causing herself more heartache.
~*~
Leo rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t had much sleep last night, he kept reaching out for Regina’s familiar warmth in bed but found a cold stretch of white sheets where she should be. It was ridiculous. They were fighting over the most inane issue. But it wasn’t inane, not to her and not to him. He had always wanted to be a father and he couldn’t seem to let that dream go and if he were honest with himself he resented Regina for denying it to him.
“Here are those municipal codes you wanted,” Melody said. She smelled of flowers and spring. She was wearing a tight cream dress, her breasts pushed out. They weren’t as big as Regina’s but proportionate to her body. “You okay?” she asked looking down at him, her head cocked to the side. “You don’t look so hot.”
“Yeah, I had a rough night,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said laying a hand on his shoulder. “If I’d known Regina would take it so personally I wouldn’t have said anything. Who she represents is her business.”
“The fight with Regina was a long time coming, Melody,” Leo said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Is she seriously that anti-children?” Melody asked sitting on the edge of his table, her long legs brushing against the side of his thigh.
“She’s just never wanted them,” Leo said. “She’s a driven woman, and you can’t blame her, being who she is, a woman of color, she’s always had a hard time making it no matter that she was more talented than her white counterparts. I guess she was so focused on making a career she never considered having a family.”
“Stop making excuses for Leo,” Melody said scrunching up her nose slightly, “You’re only enabling her misconception about racism. I don’t think she was ignored because of her race, or even her gender, she has a hostile attitude that puts people off.”
Leo didn’t trust himself to speak.
“It’s institutionalized racism against white people,” she continued, leaning back on her hands, her breasts jutting out. “We can’t say anything without being called racists even if we’re just pointing out the truth. If I live such a privileged life I wouldn’t have to ask my Dad to find me a job,” she chuckled, “It would be handed to me on a silver platter.
“Regina’s used you to get where she is,” Melody said leaning closer to Leo, he could see the tops of her breasts; she wasn’t wearing a bra, her lips were parted sensually; her fingers rested lightly on his chest. “And now she’s denying you what you want. I think that’s unfair; and the fact that she gets to use the race card to get out of a discussion about it is just plain wrong.”
She practically had her legs wide open for you to fuck her and make a baby inside her right there and then!
Leo felt himself stirring. His pants felt too tight and hot. Melody was attractive and she was looking at him with fuck-me eyes. Her skirt had ridden up and he caught flashes of cream colored panties, her creamy thighs parted and inviting.
Maybe he should fuck her; fuck her good with her stupid empty bitch head pressed against the table, give her a taste of what she was asking for. It would teach Regina to leave him; he didn’t need her, he could have any woman he wanted.
But what he wanted was Regina. Smart, witty, larger than life Regina who made his blood run hot and cold, who filled his mind with endless possibilities. A woman who stood on her own two feet and saw the world as it really was and saved him from his own white privilege.
“Get out,” he said softly.
Melody was taken aback. She stared at his hooded eyes as if needing confirmation of his words.
“Get out of my office,” he said again. “And if I ever hear you talking about my girlfriend in such disparaging tones I will fire you and send you crying back to your daddy.”
“Leo,” she tried to pacify him, her hand still resting on his chest.
“It’s Mr. Belitrov,” he said holding her wrist in a vicelike grip till she flinched. “Now out!” he roared. Melody nearly tripped on her own two feet as she rushed out of his office.
Leo walked of his hard on,
his head aching. He would make it better; he’d go down to her office after work and as for forgiveness, sign a promise note saying he never wanted children if that’s what she wanted him to do but he needed her to come back home.
Chapter Six
Neighbors
The Simpson house was just like the rest in suburban Cheviot Hills. A two story brick it resembled a Mexican villa. The driveway was wide and long but no cars were parked outside. Police had finished investigating a month ago and there was no tape barring entrance. To Regina’s knowledge Frank Simpson still lived here.
The drive ended in a fork, one path lead to the house and the other to the pool in the back, wooden fence separating it from the neighbor’s property. A lone beach tree stood sentinel over the pool where Frank Simpson had found Dakota Simpson, sipping on iced tea after he’d discovered the bodies of his children.
Regina rang the doorbell but got no response. She walked to the back, hoping to catch Frank through his living room or kitchen window trying to avoid her but the place looked empty. The pool was choked full of leaves and grit; a beach ball had deflated and sunk to the bottom. She was about to head back to her car when a woman called to her.
“Are you looking for Frank?” she was standing on the other side of the wooden fence; in her late forties, her auburn hair reaching her shoulders. She wore a black scoop necked shirt emblazoned with beads around the collar and polar bears drawn out with fake pearls on the front.
“Yes,” Regina said. “Do you have any idea where he is?”
“He must have made a run for the liquor store,” the woman said. She had lined brown eyes, and a kind face. “Can I ask who you are?”
“I’m Regina James,” she said, “Dakota Simpson’s attorney.”
“Oh,” the woman said her eyes going round, “Well, I hope you’re good because Dakota didn’t do it.”
Regina was taken aback.
“I’m sorry but who are you?” Regina asked stepping closer to the fence.
“India Lee,” she said. “I’ve been the Simpson’s neighbor since Caleb was six months old.”
“Have the police talked to you?” Regina asked looking through her notes. “Because they don’t mention you in their report. Oh wait, here. It says you said you didn’t see any suspicious activity, no one coming in or out.”
“I didn’t,” India nodded, “But I also told them I didn’t think Dakota did it. She’s too frail to do something as drastic as that. If she had any back bone she wouldn’t have let Frank bully her in to having three more kids after what happened to her with Caleb.”
“What happened to her?” Regina asked thinking she’d hit the jackpot. Neighbors were often unreliable witnesses to a crime, they knew a lot about the families but you had to take most of what they said with a pinch of salt.
“Why don’t you come on over and we’ll discuss it over some lemonade?”
Regina walked the few feet it took to go back to the drive and in to India’s yard. India’s house was practically the same as the Simpsons. Her living room was full of exotic souvenirs the kind people collected on trips abroad.
“My parents were travelers,” she said handing Regina a tall glass of lemonade. “They went all the way to Japan chasing the rabbit. In fact I was born there.”
“You have a beautiful home,” Regina commented and India shrugged.
“I try.”
“So you were saying about Dakota and something that happened to her when Caleb was born,” Regina prompted.
“Yes,” India said taking a sip of her lemonade and crunching ice between her teeth. “She was a mess after Caleb. She would cry all the time. Post partem depression still isn’t recognized across the board but it’s a real thing and when your GP and your husband won’t help you through it but call you a bad mother how do you expect to heal?”
“So she was suffering from PPD,” Regina said.
“Not only that she was afraid all the time,” India said. “Frank isn’t an easy person to live with. He was loving towards the children but he treated Dakota like dirt. He would bully her to do things she wasn’t comfortable with and those brats picked up on it. Caleb would shout her down if she tried to deny him anything,” India rolled her eyes heaven words, “It was pathetic to see her mumble apologetically while her seven year old told her what to do.”
“You seem to know them intimately,” Regina said a little overwhelmed by the information she was getting.
“I was the only person Dakota talked to really,” India said. “Her sister is just as bossy as Frank and the kids hated her.”
“What about Frank,” Regina asked. “Do you think he did it?”
“Oh no,” India scoffed. “He loved those snotty nosed kids too much to do that. I know you shouldn’t talk ill of the dead but those kids were monsters.” India took another swig of lemonade; more ice was crunched and consumed. “Dakota came to me when she found out she was pregnant with Jason. She wanted me to take her to an abortion clinic before Frank found out and made her go through with it. Daphne heard us and told Frank that night. He tied Dakota to a kitchen chair and punched her in the face, methodically, so he would only injure her face and not the rest of her body because the baby shouldn’t come to any harm,” India breathed heavily.
“What kind of monster cares so much for a potential life and nothing for the one that has to bring it in to this world?” India asked her nostrils flaring.
Regina felt that rage as well. She took a generous swallow of sweet lemonade. She thought she’d be able to keep it down but she was running out to the yard where she threw it up with her lunch. India handed her some tissues and told her not to worry about it. She guided her back in to the house.
“Are you okay?” India asked. “Is it food poisoning, should I call an ambulance?”
“I’m pregnant,” Regina said breathing deeply. This was the first time Regina had said it out loud and it was a weight off her shoulders. She didn’t know why but she found herself opening up to India. Maybe it was because she shared the same pro-choice opinions Regina did.
“Congratulations,” India said with a bright smile which fell just as soon as it rose. “This case must be horrible for you!”
“I’m not keeping it,” Regina said and saying it out loud was different from thinking it. She didn’t feel the lightness she felt when she thought about getting an abortion, the words felt heavy and they weighed her down. “I don’t know, I’m not sure yet.”
“What does your husband think?” India asked.
“He doesn’t know,” Regina admitted. “I haven’t told him because I’m afraid he’ll force me to keep it.”
“It’s none of his business what you do with your body,” India said.
“No, but I would like to keep him in the loop,” Regina said. “It seems dishonest to make this decision all on my own.”
“It’s very simple; do you want a baby?”
“No,” Regina said. “I’ve never wanted one.”
“So don’t have it,” India said. “Learn from Dakota’s mistake. She allowed herself to be bullied in to it once and ended up giving birth to four children! Men like Frank will always think they call the shots in a relationship and what women do with their bodies.”
“I still think I need to tell Leo before I do anything,” Regina said.
“Then you’re just as weak as Dakota,” India murmured, “And I pity you. I wish you luck though.”
Regina drove back to her office confused about what India had told her. She struck Regina as a woman of convictions, strong and independent. But people had a need to embellish stories they thought weren’t exciting enough. India didn’t seem the type but you never could be sure.
Regina was so lost in thought she didn’t see the car following her closely down the side streets of Cheviot Hill and to downtown LA. She didn’t notice it park discreetly two cars behind her when she got to her building. She never turned around so she didn’t see the beady pair of eyes following her every move.
<
br /> Chapter Seven
Reconciliation
The office was dark; a few lit lamps provided enough illumination to see where the furniture was. Paintings hung from the oak paneled walls, deep cushioned chairs and sofas rested in the waiting rooms, and the offices carried an air of austerity. Regina’s office was in the back, the largest office with its own bathroom and a stunning view of downtown LA.
Unlike the rest of the office space Regina’s office was well lit, the door slightly ajar. He could see a carton of Chinese takeout perched on top of a heavy volume of District Penal Code, chopsticks sticking out of it. He heard her singing, a low hum of her voice. He pushed the door open noiselessly and walked in.
Regina was in the bathroom, he could see her silhouette. He waited for her to come out.
“Leo,” she nearly screamed when she walked out to find him on the sofa. “Jesus! You scared me!”
“Hi,” he said rubbing the back of his neck. Regina saw he had brought flowers.
“What do you want Leo?” Regina asked leaning against the bathroom door. She was wearing a nightgown that reached the tops of her knees.
“Come home,” he said looking up at her. Regina saw he hadn’t shaven. He looked an absolute mess. “Please,” he begged. Regina felt her insides melt. She sat down beside him, their knees just barely touching, their hands safe in their own laps.
“I haven’t been honest with you,” Regina said, her heart was beating like mad against her ribs and she thought she was going to pass out if she didn’t say it soon. “I’m pregnant, Leo.”
It was out there now, for him to do with it what he pleased. Regina was suddenly tired. She had been tackling this problem on her own for a little under a week and now she wasn’t too concerned with what came next, not for a little while though. She needed to recuperate before she was ready to make a decision.