Hidden Witness

by Posey Parks

  “He looks so peaceful sleeping,” she smiled.

  My mother’s gray eyes met mine.

  “You did good baby.”

  Her black and silver hair brushed against the shoulders of her salmon colored Chanel jacket. Cecila Simmons is distinguished and a respected figure of her influential community. My father can do no wrong and what he says goes. She didn’t take up for me. Shit, Cecila defy my father or even challenge him for me, hell naw not going to happen.

  “Mom, I need to tell you something important before Jeremy comes back.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Jeremy has been cheating on me.”

  My mother’s facial expression didn’t change. I continued.

  “He promised it wouldn’t happen again, but a woman called our house yesterday telling me she’s been seeing Jeremy. She sent pictures confirming her story. I confronted Jeremy about it while I went into labor. We couldn’t properly discuss it since, I was in so much pain. I’m going to leave him. I can’t take this anymore!”

  “I can understand your frustration Sierra. However, now is not the time to cause a rift in your marriage. I need you to be logical. You signed a prenup correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “You only get a half a million. Right now, you have a nanny and maids to help you with both children. I think you should wait. However, it’s no use telling you not to leave, I know how you are, once you’ve made up your mind there is no turning back. Wait until Jason is a little older. What are you going to do once you leave? A half a million is only going to last so long.”

  “I’m going to flip houses.”

  Her eyebrows scrunched together. “With two small children that doesn’t sound like the best decision. Think of a different business.”

  “Alright.”

  “Sierra, how long did you expect a professional football player to stay faithful?”

  A scowl took my face. “Forever mom! He didn’t cheat on me until the fame went to his head.”

  My mother leaned forward kissing my forehead. “I’m sorry Sierra.”

  “How are you feeling?” I heard as the door flew open.

  A fake smile spread across my lips. “Jeremy, we are doing good.”

  He kissed Jason’s head then kissed my lips.

  I listened to my mother.

  Once Jeremy got caught up he stayed home. No late night, phone calls. Jeremy even agreed to call Keisha. He spoke to on speaker phone while I sat listening. Jeremy told her he wouldn’t see her again. I was halfway checked out of my marriage. I was buying time until Jason was a little older.

  When we are Jeremy’s center of attention it’s easy to overlook the errors of his ways. I still made love to my husband. I was sure to get back on birth control, after I finished breast feeding Jason. There was no way I would let Jeremy impregnate me again.

  ~

  Moving out was difficult. I was on my own with two small children. My new house cost $300,000 due to the high cost of living in Portland. Our new house is in Sherwood a suburb of Portland. Jeremy made my life a living hell.

  He didn’t want me to break up our family. He said his image would be tarnished. And it was. However, I couldn’t continue to live a lie anymore. Jeremy couldn’t stop fucking other women. I need a man who will be faithful to me. Love me. Believe, I’m enough for him.

  Starting over isn’t what I saw happening at twenty-seven. Jeremy and I have joint custody. I really didn’t want to put Jeremy on child support, I know he will take great care of our children. The judge said I had to get child support. I requested the least amount $1,500 per child.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  SIERRA

  Jeremy pulled me aside after the court proceedings. “Sierra, you know you never had to do this. You destroyed our family!”

  “Jeremy, I didn’t. You did. All I wanted was you to be faithful to me, but you couldn’t do that! I still love you. However, you know who you married. If I wouldn’t stand for it in college then you know I damn sure wasn’t going to stand for it in our marriage.”

  His sad dark eyes stared into mine. “I love you.”

  I leaned up kissing his cheek. “I’ll meet you at the gas station at the hour and half mark.”

  Moving back to Oregon was the best decision. I couldn’t take our children and move back to Atlanta. Emoni was excited I was moving back to Oregon. She persuaded me to move to Sherwood.

  PRESENT

  Emoni’s cell rang three times before she answered.

  “Sierra! Hey girl. What’s going on?”

  Plopping on the couch, my eyes closed. “Remember how you told me, I can’t sit around feeling sorry for myself. I need to get out there.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I need to live a little.”

  “Girl, yeah. What’s going on?”

  Slowly, my eyes opened. “I met someone.”

  “Really! When? Where?”

  Sitting up straight on the edge of the couch, I told her about the guy I met in the grocery store.

  “Wait a minute. Let me make sure I’m hearing you correctly. Not only did you strike up a conversation with him in line, but you talked to him half the night. Sierra, I’m so proud of you! Is he cute?”

  “Girl, he is fine!”

  We both laughed.

  “Emoni, I need a big favor.”

  “What?”

  “Can you watch the kids this Wednesday, so I can go on a date with Jeff?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you.”

  “When you bring the kids over, I’ll do your make-up.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jeff and I sent each other pictures of us camping with our kids.

  We talked while our kids played in the background. He never got upset if my son interrupted our conversation or vice versa. I thought it was cute when he answered his daughters question.

  “One second, I need to put my ear buds in. Lily wants her hair in pigtails and I need to find her princess dress.”

  “Ok. No problem.”

  I loved it. It was actually sexy how hands on of a father he is.

  We agreed not to say each other’s names on the phone around the kids. The last thing we wanted was to confuse our children. We had no business talking on the phone around them at all. However, we usually talked about our children.

  “Hey, I need to help her set up her tea set.”

  “You go ahead. I’m going to prepare dinner.”

  “Can I call you back around ten?”

  Placing my hand over my mouth I blushed. “Yeah, I’ll talk to you then.”

  I’m so afraid of what ‘talking’ to each other means. We are divorced with children from other marriages, which equates to baggage in some people’s eyes, but not ours.

  I wonder how scary each of us is to the other.

  I wonder what Jeff was like as a husband.

  Scanning the living room, I sigh at how my beautiful home is falling apart. I miss my mansion in Seattle. The eight bedrooms, state of the art kitchen, and large swimming pool. I used to look forward to doing ground breaking things in the community. Luckily, I was able to keep my charities in the divorce. My ex-husband still donates time and money.

  Shell shocked after the divorce I guess is what you call it. I cried every day. No security from my husband anymore. If I heard a nose I couldn’t grab him and tell him to check it out. I grabbed my bat, ran downstairs, peeking out of the windows. Usually nothing. I live in a decent neighborhood. My husband may not have pleased me in every way, I still missed him. I relapsed once with him after first moving in my house. He came by two weeks after I moved in. He insisted on bringing the kids home.

  Jeremy strolled into the house. “Daddy, come look at my room,” Shana yelled, pulling his hand.

  “Go ahead.”

  I closed the side door. Walking slowly upstairs behind them, I watched as he walked out of Shana’s room then into Jason’s.

  I laughed as I watched Jason punch his daddy in the legs.
>
  “Jay, you got me! You are so tough son.”

  Jeremy caught me laughing. He smiled at me.

  “Shana, Jason how about you two play the new video game I bought you.”

  “Yeah!” they yelled.

  Jeremy followed me down the hall, breaking off walking into my bedroom.

  “So, this is you?”

  “Yes Jeremy,” I said standing in the door way.

  Jeremy pulled me inside closing, then locking the door behind me. His large hands captured my face.

  “I love you and I hate us living apart.”

  I didn’t say a word. He slid my t-shirt over my head then slipped my jeans off. After he slid my panties off, I hopped up into his arms. Jeremy unzipped his pants, grabbing his dick, slipping inside me. “Come back to me Sierra. I love you.”

  “I love you too Jeremy,” I cried.

  My arms gripped his neck tight. Being in Jeremy’s arms felt so fucking good. I missed my husband desperately. The way his hands roamed my body like I belonged to him. There was no doubt in my mind my husband loved me and would never leave me. However, I couldn’t allow him to love me and sleep around too. A part of me didn’t want him to ever let me go, until the bad memories surfaced. The women kissing and fucking my husband. I knew once and for all we were finished. The second he came, I slid down his huge frame, falling to the floor.

  “Jeremy, I can’t do this anymore. We are divorced for a reason. I can’t keep falling back into old patterns.”

  He adjusted his clothes then scooped me up sitting me on the bed. “I won’t come back over unless you ask me too.”

  “Ok.”

  The tears streamed down my face. Jeremy held me tight.

  ~

  Jeff called me a little after 10 p.m.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Going over payroll for my small group of employees.”

  “What’s the name of your business?”

  “Simmons cleaning services.”

  “How many employees?”

  “Five.”

  “That’s cool. We are both business owners.”

  “Oh wait, so you own the construction company?”

  “Yes, my friend Kyle and me. K&J construction.”

  “That’s wonderful!”

  “How many employees do you have?”

  “Thirty. When we started we only had five guys. Those were rough times.”

  I searched for his company website on the internet. “Wow, your website is nice!”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t search for mine. It’s really dinky.”

  “I can put you in contact with my web designer.”

  “No thank you. I’m sure I can’t afford him. I’m on a strict budget. That reminds me. Where are we going for our date? I want to know how I should dress.”

  “To dinner, then a surprise. I would like to see you in a dress.”

  I laughed. I couldn’t stop blushing. “Are you going to wear a suit?”

  “For you yes. Sierra, are you smiling?”

  “Yes, Jeff I am. I’m looking forward to our date.”

  “Me too.”

  “Jeff, this is all so new. Dating again with kids. I’m trying so hard not to read into what’s happening here.”

  “Well don’t Sierra. I love talking to you every day. You brighten my day. I can’t wait to see your beautiful smile. I already know I’m not going to want our date to end.”

  “Oh, listen to the Jersey smooth tawlka!” We laughed.

  “Say something else in your Jersey accent you work so hard to hide.”

  “Baby, what you wanna hear?”

  I laughed. “I don’t know. Anything.”

  “Alright…do you have a dawg?”

  I rolled into a ball laughing.

  “I would love to visit Jersey with you one day.”

  There was an eerie silence on the phone.

  “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”

  “No. Listen as time goes on, if we are still talking, I want to tell you everything. I have a gut feeling I can trust you.”

  “Sounds good Jeff.”

  “I’ll let you get some rest.”

  I frowned. “Ok.”

  “Baby, good night.”

  “Good night Jeff.”

  I laid there thinking, I should never mention Jersey again. I don’t know why it’s such a sore subject.

  Five minutes later. Jeff texted me a gorgeous selfie of himself. His brown curly hair was all over his head. His bearded face rested against his muscular bicep. Extremely sexy. I wanted to stare at his picture until I fell asleep. First, I fluffed my crinkly hair and threw on red lipstick. My face held a sexy mysterious gaze into the camera. I sent him the sexy selfie of myself.

  He sent me a text back.

  I’m going to make that my new screen saver at work.

  Jeff, no.

  Yeah, all the guys are going to ask who you are.

  Maybe I can use Jeff to my advantage. When my husband was on the road, I would pull out my bag of toys. My husband didn’t believe in giving me oral stimulation. Although, he expected it from me. Sometimes, I would cum while having sex, but that was far and few between. Not that it wasn’t pleasurable, I just rarely had an orgasm.

  Whenever I would take care of myself, jackpot all the way. Jeff and me making love, I wonder how it would be. He looks like he can fuck good. What if he can’t though? God, I hope he can.

  I could have taken the kids to my in-laws for my date night, but I figured I would ask them to baby sit another time. If Jeff and I make it past date one.

  I was awoken not to the sun light but to my little monsters Sunday morning.

  “Mommy, mommy! We’re hungry.”

  I slid the pillow over my face. “I’m coming.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  SIERRA

  After breakfast I started my Sunday routine, cleaning the house, washing clothes, and ironing for the week.

  Jeremy’s mom Arlene called. She asked to take the kids to a matinee. I thanked her profusely, I was excited to get a little me time. His mother was sweet. She hated Jeremy and I broke up. Arlene said, “Jeremy made a grave mistake. He wouldn’t ever find another woman like me.” She said I would always be her daughter and not to hesitate if I needed anything. I’m blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law.

  ~

  Slowly, my eyes opened, my phone was vibrating.

  I’d missed a call from Jeff and my mother- in- law.

  Quickly, I called her back.

  “Hello Sierra.”

  “Hey Arlene.”

  “The kids and I are eating dinner at their favorite burger place. Did you want anything?”

  I smiled. “No thanks.”

  “Ok, we will be there in an hour.”

  “Alright, see you then.”

  Glancing at the clock, it was 5 after 5 in the evening. I hustled through the house, finishing up my tasks.

  Once my children returned home, I bathed them, then allowed them tv time before bed.

  I sat at my desk in my bedroom, stressing over payroll.

  My mood was sour. I didn’t want it to reflect in my conversation with Jeff.

  ~

  After dropping the kids off at daycare, I began my route to one of the office building my company maintains. I needed to inspect my employees work before the building opens at 7:30 a.m. Luckily, daycare opens at 6 a.m. Jason stays in daycare all day. The daycare drives Shana to school around 7:30 a.m.

  I love my Silver Yukon Denali. Happy I was able to keep my truck in the divorce settlement along with all my fabulous clothes. I had other cars Porsches, BWM’s, Mercedes convertibles, and a Bugatti. I only requested my truck in the divorce settlement. I knew I couldn’t afford to maintain my other vehicles. I was so depressed at the time. I wasn’t thinking straight. I should have taken the cars and sold them. Oh well, can’t dwell on it now. I rode the elevator up to the 30th floor.

  “Hey Quinn and Corela
y. How is it going?”

  “Hey boss lady. We have the two offices at the very end of the hall to clean then we are done.”

  “Alright, I will do a walk through.”

  After my walk through I had the ladies redo a few things before we left on time. I need more employees. If I had a bigger team, I could hire a supervisor and cover more offices. I started my company with a team of five, now down to three. My team is small and mighty. The ladies do good work. My goal is to make enough money with this business so I can also flip houses and stage homes. I have a keen eye for decorating.

  My crew has four more jobs today. We are usually done around two in the afternoon.

  On my way to the next building, I noticed I had another missed call from Jeff. A smile overtook my face. I’m reminded even though I flirted with him first, he’s interested in me.

  “Call Jeff,” I ordered my truck as I pulled into a parking spot in front of my next job site.

  “Calling Jeff.”

  He answered on the third ring.

  “Hey Sierra, give me just a minute.”

  I could hear the jack hammer pounding away in the background.

  “That should be better. How are you?”

  Sounds like he’s inside a building now.

  I sighed. “Honestly, I’m not doing my best.”

  “Sierra, you can call me any time.”

  “No, I don’t think I can.”

  “Why?”

  “Jeff, we just met. You don’t need to hear my problems.”

  “Come to the job site. I’ll take you to lunch.”

  I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Jeff, I have business to handle.”

  “Fine, tell me where you are working. I’ll drop lunch off to you. Something tells me you have been deep in your thoughts and you haven’t eaten.”

  I huffed. “Shit, how could you know me already?”

  “Sierra, we talk several times a day. I pick up on things. Now tell me where you are or I will show up at your house.”

  “Jeff, you don’t know where I live!”

  “Baby, I’m the owner of a construction company. I have access to building permits and other property information.”

  I hit the steering wheel. “Jeff, I look terrible.”

  “Impossible. Address.”