by Zena Wynn
“I’ll talk to her. See if I can convince her to buy another one. She’ll need something larger eventually and higher off of the ground. As her pregnancy advances, she’ll have difficulty getting in and out of her car, as low as it is,” he finished thoughtfully.
“Well, if she doesn’t, you can always buy her one,” Crystal suggested sarcastically as she finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on. “I’m going up to take my shower. Are you coming?”
“I’ll be in the office.” She watched as he left the kitchen, his mind clearly on something else.
* * * *
The next Friday when Gail walked into the waiting room, she was startled to see Rashid. After checking in to let them know she was there, she took a seat next to him.
“Hi, I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you’d be busy like Crystal.”
“I had my secretary put your appointment on my schedule so I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Oh, that was smart.” Gail mentally scrambled for another topic of conversation. When she couldn’t find one, she reached for one of the pregnancy related magazines on the table.
“You are feeling better? There’s been no return of the headache?”
“Yes, I’m fine now. I really don’t get headaches that often any more. That one took me by surprise.” Gail really had no one but herself to blame. She knew she was prone to migraines and should have taken something when the headache first began, instead of trying to wish it away.
“And the car? Is it fixed?”
“It will be in another couple of days. I’m driving a rental right now. They had to replace the whole unit.” At that moment, Gail’s name was called. She was glad for the interruption.
The visit was routine right up until Dr. Hagan asked if they had any questions. Rashid had a whole list of them. He questioned if her stomach was too small, if the babies were growing properly, and if Gail was eating and drinking enough for the babies’ development. He reported the incident with her headache, which really pissed Gail off because then she had to listen to a ten-minute lecture from Dr. Hagan on the dangers of heat exposure.
By the time the visit was over, she was seriously regretting granting Rashid permission to accompany her to all of her appointments. As they prepared to leave, Rashid asked Gail in front of Dr. Hagan if she’d been getting her daily exercise. The answer to that question was no. She’d forgotten all about it. That negative response earned her another lecture from Dr. Hagan on the benefits of exercise. Gail was ready to kick Rashid when it was all over with. The sooner she got away from him, the better.
She escaped as soon as she could and went to set up her next appointment. Then she had to relieve her bladder again. She was hoping when she came out that Rashid would be gone. No such luck.
As he walked her to the car, he reminded her of the commitment she’d made. “Do not forget that you promised to come over in the evenings, use the pool, and eat dinner with us. I know you could not do so while we were gone, but we have returned.”
Darn it! When she’d made the promise, she didn’t have a life. Now there was Greg, and the women whose friendships she had renewed. Did she really want to spend every evening with Crystal and Rashid? No, but a promise was a promise.
She sighed. “I did forget but I’ll make it a point to be there tomorrow.”
“I will see you then.” He moved out of the way so that she could shut the car door.
Later that same night, she was telling Greg all about it as they shared a pizza. “I’m telling you, Greg, I wanted to hit the man. It’s not like I haven’t done this before.”
“Give the man a break. He’s lost…how many kids now? It’s bound to make him a little paranoid.”
“I know, I know. I’m really trying to be patient and understanding. Really I am. It’s difficult. We’re not married. We were never lovers. I’m just the woman who’s carrying his children. It’s awkward. To get close to them, he has to stay close to me, at least until they are born.” She rolled her neck to loosen the tension before continuing.
“Rashid and I have never been friends, never had what you would call a close relationship. He’s just my best friend’s husband. Someone I’m familiar with but don’t really know. Now we’re being forced into close contact. It was supposed to be me and Crystal doing this. I never really gave much thought to Rashid’s role in this whole thing. I just kind of assumed he would donate his sperm and then show up at the hospital to pick up his kids. Boy was I wrong.” She sighed and took another bite of pizza.
“I have to go to their house every evening, which was fine when I suggested it. It was a compromise against my actually living with them. Now that I have you, I really don’t want those kinds of demands on my time.”
His eyebrows shot up. “They wanted you to move in with them?”
“Yeah, well, mostly Rashid. Although Crystal agreed with him. I told him no. That for my own emotional stability, I had to maintain a certain degree of separateness. I couldn’t do that if I was living with them. I’m giving up enough of my life as it is.”
“What exactly did you tell him you would do?” Greg reached out and stole a pepperoni off of her slice of pizza.
“I told him I would come by every day and use the pool for my daily exercise I’m supposed to be getting and let Carmelita feed me.”
“Were those your exact words?”
“I’m pretty sure they are. Why?” She wondered where he was going with this line of questioning.
“Well, you want to keep your word but not have every evening tied up with them, right?”
“That’s the idea,” she confirmed.
“Here’s the solution. Go over to their house as soon as you leave from work and take your swim. Then allow Carmelita—that’s her name, right?” At her nod he continued, “Allow Carmelita to feed you. Afterwards, you head home. You didn’t commit yourself to a certain time did you?”
“No, no time was mentioned.”
“There you have it.” He pointed with his pizza for emphasis.
Gail gazed at him in admiration. “That was positively devious. Brilliant, genius even, but devious. You know that wasn’t the intent of the agreement.”
“No but it is the letter of it,” he said smugly.
Gail laughed. “Remind me to never argue with you.”
Whatever he would have said in return was lost when the doorman buzzed her. “Ms. Henderson?”
She rose from the table, crossed to the door and pushed the call button. “Yes, Paul?”
“Mr. Al Jabbar is here to see you.”
“Rashid! What’s he doing here?” she asked Greg. Pressing the button again, she told the doorman, “Send him up.”
“Very good, ma’am.”
“I wonder what he wants,” she said to Greg, completely puzzled by Rashid’s presence at her apartment.
“We’ll find out in a minute, or should I leave?”
“No, don’t go anywhere. I’m sure whatever business he wants to discuss won’t take long.”
“I’ll take the rest of the pizza into the living room and get the movie ready.”
“Okay.”
A knock sounded at the door and Gail went to answer it. “Rashid, come in. This is unexpected. Is everything alright? Where is Crystal?” Gail spoke rapidly, a bit unnerved to see him standing there and curious as to his reason for being here. She was also a bit unsettled at the thought of him meeting Greg. She felt like she’d been caught cheating.
“Crystal is at home. Everything is fine. I did not mean to alarm you. I simply stopped by to drop off something for you.”
Gail looked at him curiously. His hands appeared to be empty. The clearing of a throat interrupted her inspection of Rashid. She snapped to attention as Greg walked into the foyer.
“Hi, I’m Greg Richmont. I don’t mean to intrude, but honey, did you mean to keep him standing in the foyer all night or were you planning on letting him come further inside so he could have a seat?”
Rashi
d stiffened at the sight of Greg and his eyes narrowed at the casual endearment, though he shook the hand Greg held out to him. Gail saw him take particular note of the casual yet possessive arm Greg laid across her shoulders.
“I’m sorry, Rashid. Please come into the living room.” Gail was flustered and she was sure it showed. It wasn’t like her to be so rude.
“No, that is alright. I did not come to stay long. As stated before, I only stopped by to drop off something for you. My ride is waiting below.” That being said, he held out a set of keys to Gail.
She reached for them automatically even as she asked, “Keys? What are these for?”
“The blue Santa Fe I leased for you. You may return your rental in the morning.”
“You got me a car?” Her voice rose with each word. “Are you out of your mind?”
Greg squeezed her warningly. “Shh, let the man explain. I’m sure he has a good reason for doing what he did.”
Gail closed her mouth and forced herself to listen to Rashid’s explanation.
“It is not a purchase, but a lease. I wish for you to use it for the duration of your pregnancy. I know you have, as you say, ‘sentimental attachment’ to the vehicle you drive, but I am concerned for your safety. I would feel better if you had reliable transportation. In addition, as your pregnancy advances, you will have difficulty entering and exiting your car. The Santa Fe is higher and roomier, and it is an automatic. Please use this until the children are born. It can be returned to the dealership at that time.”
When Gail looked as though she would argue, Greg voiced his opinion. “He’s right and his request is reasonable. Your car isn’t the most reliable of vehicles. I don’t like the idea of you driving it myself. What if it breaks down on you somewhere? You do a lot of driving. Think about the babies.”
“What about Crystal? What does she think about this?” Gail wanted to argue against taking the vehicle but they had a valid point. This wasn’t about her pride or preferences. This was a safety issue, and it fell under the guidelines of the agreement she’d signed.
“It was her idea,” Rashid informed them calmly.
“For the twins,” Gail reluctantly agreed. She wondered why Crystal didn’t tell her what they were planning. On the other hand, Crystal probably knew Gail would be against it if she knew what they had in mind before hand. Much better to present her with a done deal.
“I must take my leave now. I have someone waiting. We’ll see you again tomorrow?” he asked, a reminder of their earlier conversation.
“Yes, I’ll be there sometime tomorrow afternoon.”
“Until then.” He shook Greg’s hand again. “Nice meeting you,” he said to Greg before taking his leave.
“You’re right. Very intense,” Greg said of Rashid as they headed back into the living room. “Just imagine if you were married to him. He’s very protective of these children.”
Gail shuddered. “If he were my husband, his protectiveness would drive me crazy. I don’t know how Crystal stands it.”
* * * *
Rashid rode with the car salesman back to the dealership, his mind in turmoil. He didn’t like the idea of Gail having a man in her life, not while she was pregnant with his children. He was startled to realize that he was feeling possessive when he had no right to be. Still, he’d wished he’d had the foresight to include a clause in their agreement that she would remain celibate throughout the whole pregnancy, and not just during the time when she was being inseminated.
The two appeared very cozy together and had the closeness of lovers, or soon to be lovers. The man was very possessive, making his claim known. Rashid wondered why Crystal hadn’t told him about the man in Gail’s life. Undoubtedly she knew. The two didn’t keep secrets from each other.
When he arrived home, that’s one of the first things he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me Gail was seeing someone?”
“Seeing someone? You mean, like a man?”
“Yes, a man. Did you know she was involved with one?” he asked irritably.
“No, she hasn’t said anything to me about it, though she did say she was ready to start dating again. How do you know she’s seeing someone?”
“I saw them together. He’s quite possessive too. If they aren’t lovers, they will be soon,” he muttered in disgust, almost angry at the thought of it.
“You saw them? Where?”
“He was at her apartment tonight. They were obviously spending the evening together.” He yanked off his suit jacket and tie, and headed for the bedroom with Crystal following close behind.
“Her apartment? What were you doing at Gail’s apartment?”
Rashid sat on the bed and removed his shoes. “I had the dealership follow me over there to drop off the vehicle.”
“Vehicle?” Crystal’s voice raised an octave. “What vehicle?”
“The one that I leased for Gail to use for the remainder of her pregnancy. That car she insists on driving is not safe. So I provided another one. One that is safe.”
“You bought her a car?” Crystal echoed in disbelief.
“No, I leased one. Did I not say? It is like an extended rental,” he explained, wondering what the problem was.
“I know what a lease is,” Crystal snapped. “What I can’t believe is that you got Gail a vehicle without discussing it first with me.”
“It is for her use, yes, but it is in our name, therefore it is not her vehicle. I don’t understand your reaction. This was your idea,” he reminded her. “I would not have thought of it otherwise.”
“My idea?” Crystal cried. “I didn’t tell you to go out and lease a car for Gail,” she said with great certainty in her voice.
“No, you suggested I buy her one. We both know she would not have accepted had I done as you said. This is a good alternative.”
“Rashid, I was being sarcastic. I didn’t actually mean for you to go out and get her a vehicle to drive. What kind of car are we talking about?”
“A Hyundai Santa Fe. The safety ratings on it were outstanding, and its height will make getting in and out of the vehicle easier as her pregnancy advances. The roomy interior will also be good for her as her stomach increased in size.”
“I can’t believe you did this. Unbelievable.”
“How so? There is nothing that I would not do for the safety of our children,” he said firmly.
“Safety of your children, you mean—yours and Gail’s,” she mumbled under her breath. Rashid glanced at her, eyes narrowed in disbelief, certain he’d heard wrong. Dismissing the thought, his mind promptly went back to the issue concerning him most. “So, she has not spoken to you of this man she is seeing? You have no idea how long the relationship has been going on or if they are lovers?”
“What’s it to you?” Crystal asked sharply. “Why do you care what she does or who she does it with?” she asked suspiciously.
“While our children are in her womb, it matters very much to me what she does. Anything she does has an impact on their well-being.”
“She’s not going to do anything to endanger the twins. She deserves to have a life. I’m glad she’s found a man. Jason is the one who died, not Gail, and she shouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life living off the memory of their love. It was time for her to start living again. High time, and if she’s found herself a lover, all the better.”
“I wish she would have waited until after the babies were born,” he muttered as he stalked naked into the bathroom and closed the door.
Selfish bastard, Crystal thought. Everything was about his precious babies. It should be me. Me pregnant. Me being fussed over and catered to. Me with the new vehicle and the black American Express card.
She left the room still mad about the vehicle Rashid had bought Gail without consulting her about it. She started to call Gail then thought better of it. Tomorrow would be soon enough.
She’d call and have Gail bring her man over so she could meet him. Crystal hoped he was screwing Gail’s brains out,
no matter what Rashid thought about it.
Chapter Eight
Early the next morning, Gail’s phone rang. “Lo?” she mumbled when she finally fought free of the covers and got the phone to her mouth.
“Somebody’s been keeping secrets.” The voice was bright and cheerful, too cheerful for this early in the morning.
“Crystal?” God, what time is it? It can’t be morning already.
“Wake up, sleepy head. I want to hear all about your mystery man,” Crystal chortled.
“Who? Greg?” Gail sat up and pushed her hair back off of her face. Her jawbone cracked as she yawned, trying to wake up.
“Is that his name? Rashid didn’t say. Tell me about him. How long have you been seeing him? And why didn’t you tell me? As your BFF, I’ve got to tell you that I’m hurt.”
Gail groaned. “See, this is why I didn’t say anything. I knew you’d be like this. Nosy little heifer.”
“Quit with the name calling and dish already,” Crystal said with a giggle.
“His name is Greg Richmont and he’s one of the lawyers in the firm I work for.”
“Greg… Isn’t that the name of the guy that you complained is always flirting with you?”
Trust Crystal to remember that. “That was a long time ago, and I wasn’t complaining. I was just telling you how big of a flirt he is.”
“And if I remember correctly, didn’t you say he was white?” Crystal’s voice was accusing.
Geez, the woman had a memory like an elephant. “He’s Caucasian. What of it?”
“Nothing. I’m just surprised. In all the time that I’ve known you, you’ve never looked twice at a man who wasn’t your color.”
“That’s not exactly true. I’m not against dating men of other races,” Gail explained. “It’s just that Greg is the only one who asked. Until recently, I never believed he was serious.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I threatened to call his bluff and say yes, thinking he would back off. He showed me a side I’d never seen of him. Turns out he’s been waiting for me to take him seriously and give him a chance.”