Guilty By Association

by Pat Simmons

  “What are you doing here?” She snubbed him, while discreetly admiring his handsomeness in a gray-striped suit and a paisley tie. She noticed that his beard had thickened. There was no way to describe Kidd as less than a very good-looking, drool-worthy Black man. But don’t forget his womanizing ways, her conscience reminded her.

  Kidd folded his arms, as if he had read her thoughts. “We need to talk, Sybil.”

  “What?”

  “You know, the personality that texted me back and canceled our dinner on Friday.”

  Angela formed an “O” with her lips. “Ah, I’ll go get my SUV.”

  “Angel, wait,” Eva called after her, trying to keep her sister from escaping. That only made Angela walk faster, almost breaking into a cutesy jog in heels.

  “Traitor,” Eva mumbled. Her twin had left her to deal with the six-foot-plus hunk of a problem.

  “What happened, Eva?” She heard his baritone voice coming closer. “Why did you change your mind?”

  Eva spun around and squinted. “Do you want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

  He nodded. His expression hovered between annoyed and wounded. Which one should she believe? Let him stew. She shrugged. “First, why are you here, Kidd?”

  “I’m surprised you don’t know. It’s the spring open house, or something. Since I’m the resident liaison, the powers that be informed me that I should be here and greet families. You know, good public relations and all. I’m supposed to take credit for all the good things that have improved resident morale. Even though I had nothing to do with implementing any of it.”

  Eva had forgetten about the date change for the yearly open house. Usually, it was held at the end of May. But, to avoid a dilemma such as this, she could have made her deliveries on another weekend. The idea of having to change her plans because of Kidd infuriated her. She had always delivered the gifts the Sunday prior to Mother’s Day. That way, she could spend Mother’s Day with her own mother. She was losing it.

  Invading her space, Kidd took one step closer and towered over her. She suddenly remembered the kiss. “Now, no more stalling, Eva. What happened within the span of fifteen or twenty minutes after giving me your number? Don’t play games with me, Eva. I don’t lose.”

  “There’s a first time for everything. The florist did you in.”

  Kidd had the nerve to grin. “I thought you would like a bouquet. I’m trying to woo you.”

  “Really?” She gritted her teeth and folded her arms. “How do you woo me when you’re ordering flowers for several other women?” Holding her breath, she braced herself for the truth or a lie.

  “What? How do you know about them?”

  “Evading the answer, huh? I was about to call and tell you to meet me at my condo when I saw you walk out of the building and cross the street. Out of curiosity, I followed you into the florist shop. But then I wished I hadn’t. You don’t play games? Huh? What are you doing with those women who will receive your flowers?”

  Kidd’s response was a barking laugh, which further enraged her. “Curiosity killed the cat. Those flowers were for my mother, my two cousins, and their wacko friend.”

  Smooth. A good lie always sounded like the truth. “Hmm. Or one could be your baby’s mama. Are the other two blood relatives? I guess I’m asking if I can believe you, Kidd.” She could probably count on one hand how many times she had addressed him by his nickname.

  He stared at her a long time. “Any other woman who’d question my intentions would be wiped off my list, but I want only your name on it. Do you want to trust me?” He whispered, throwing the ball back into her court. “Eva, I do have secrets and a past. I will share anything with you. It’s up to you if you want to know about my demons. You decide.” He didn’t blink.

  How did the tables turn on her like that? This was more than she had bargained for, and why did he have to mention the word demons?. Kidd turned and walked away, never looking back.

  Eva’s eyes misted. She saw Angela pull up the SUV to the entrance. Eva took one final glance at Kidd’s retreating figure before walking outside. “Lord, I’m getting too many signals.”

  She took a deep breath as her heart pounded like something crazy. When she opened the passenger door, Angela was chatting on the cell phone.

  “Oh, here she is now. I’ll see you later, sweetie. Love you too.” Angela ended the call. “Girl, you’re right about Mr. Kidd. That man is a monster and you are his prey. Friendship is definitely not his intention. Way to go.” Angela grinned and lifted her hand for a high-five, which Eva ignored.

  She withheld her rebuttal. Kidd was asking too much of her, and she knew too little about him to believe him. Although saints sometimes stumble and fall, Eva refused to fall over him. She would not allow herself to ignore the red light flashing a warning signal. Eva believed in obeying all traffic laws.

  “What’s wrong?” Angela teased. “There are no buts about it, that man likes you. If you try to deny it, God is going to get you for lying on a Sunday.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kidd enjoyed challenges, but games with women were not his forte. There were too many goldfish in the pond, yet Eva was the most beautiful of all.

  Anxious to get out of his monkey suit, he had started the countdown until the open house was over.

  Later, back at Parke’s house, Kidd changed clothes. Downstairs in the kitchen, Kidd stared at Eva’s bouquet that he placed in a tall glass. The colors were still vibrant, but fading just as his chances with Eva. How could the woman jump to those wild conclusions?

  Kidd strolled outside on the deck and sat on the wooden swing. He needed a solitary moment. If Eva didn’t want him, then she didn’t want anything from him. “God, what does it take for things to go right in my life?”

  Seek Me, God answered.

  The voice didn’t startle him this time, but the request was confusing. Kidd took a swig from the bottle of water he had grabbed on the way out the door. What he wanted was a can of beer, but Cheney forbade any liquor in the house. Parke was a chump—or in love—to let his wife run him and the house.

  How does a person seek God? He needed a simple how-to pamphlet to follow. Without a sound, Kami flopped next to him, putting the swing in motion. She scooted closer. Together, for the next few minutes, they sat quietly with Kami’s elbow digging into his thigh. She waited for him to acknowledge her presence. It was almost as if Kami was trying to discern his mood.

  Finally, curiosity got the best of her. “Those flowers are pretty, Uncle Cousin. Who are they for?”

  That was a touchy subject. “For you, my favorite girl.”

  Kami’s eyes widened and a smile lit up her beautiful face. Like Eva, she would grow up to be a heartbreaker. “Me? I’m your favorite girl?”

  Kidd winked. “You know it.” He tweaked her nose.

  “Wow. I thought maybe you had a girlfriend.”

  “Nope.”

  “Wait until I tell my boyfriend I got flowers.”

  Kidd shifted, causing the swing to pick up speed. “What! Does your dad know about this boyfriend? Better yet, I’d like to meet him myself.” There was no way he was going to let any boy close to Kami for at least twenty years, and then it would be his cousin’s problem.

  She giggled. “Cousin Uncle, you’re silly. I can’t have boyfriends yet, but when I do, he’ll have to bring me candy and flowers to beat you out.” She stood and raced back inside.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To tell Mommy you don’t have a girlfriend and the flowers are for me.”

  Kidd smirked. He had come to love the little spitball, despite her original intentions to take him down. He didn’t know how long he stayed outside, but the sun began to set. The back door opened and footsteps approached. Without an invitation, Cheney came and sat at the other end of the swing.

  “I helped Kami put the flowers in her room. You’ve got a girlfriend for life.”

  Kidd chuckled.

  “I
’m serious. I would be careful if I were you. If you bring any lady friends around here, my baby will be like a momma bear protecting her cubs. She acted that way with Parke and Malcolm. You don’t want to see that girl in action defending you.”

  Cheney scraped her sandal against the deck and started the swing again. Kidd went with the flow.

  “What happened?” She paused, and when he didn’t respond, she continued. “Listen, my husband is the only man I know who buys flowers just because. Who is she and what happened? Kidd, I’m a good listener …”

  “I’m good, Cheney.”

  She didn’t leave as he expected. “I like you, Kidd. You’re a good man, but an unconvincing liar. I’ve never heard you talk about a lady friend, so how did you mess this up?”

  Kidd grunted. “Me? If I hadn’t bought her flowers, then there wouldn’t have been a misunderstanding, or mess—as you call it.”

  “What’s the name of this misunderstanding?”

  “Eva Savoy,” Kidd stated, yielding to Cheney’s baiting. “She’s the prettiest little woman, but she doesn’t trust me.”

  “Imagine that,” Cheney teased. “Kidd—newsflash. Most men aren’t trustworthy, so that’s an immediate defense mechanism for a woman.”

  “I’m not like most men—”

  “I know. You’re a Jamieson. Kidd, flowers are good, but I fell in love with your cousin because, besides me not being able to get rid of him—”

  “Yeah, I have noticed your husband can be a pain …” Kidd didn’t finish his statement out of respect for Cheney. “Okay, tell me how my ugly cousin wooed you.” Anything to get his mind and the conversation off Eva.

  “Watch it. There are no ugly Jamiesons. It’s not in your genes.” Cheney turned and made herself comfortable, pushing the swing again. “Anyway, my past tormented me. I had made a bad decision. I couldn’t forgive myself, so I figured neither could Jesus. But He has endless grace toward us.”

  Cheney shook her head as if she was still having a hard time believing it. “I had demons haunting me, and Parke came on the scene as my personal demon-slayer. The only problem was, at the time, neither of us had any spiritual power to overcome the adversary.” She shrugged.

  “During that time, Parke seemed to take my troubled heart and safeguard it in his hands. It reminds me of 3 John 1:2 that says: ‘I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.’ Parke hung in there through my hard times. And as my soul and mind began to mend, he gave me my heart back, filled with so much love. I love Parke and he loves me, but from the beginning it wasn’t so.”

  Kidd rubbed the hairs on his chin. “I doubt if Eva wants to be my demon-slayer,” he said more to himself than Cheney.

  She stood and patted his shoulder. “You’re a Jamieson and something tells me God’s going to give you the sword to slay your own demons. It’s part of His promise and plans for us. Start reading your Bible and really study the book of Acts. It tells how God handed His power out to His believers.” She turned to walk away.

  “Hey, Cheney,” he called over his shoulder.

  “Yeah, cuz?”

  “I’m not a believer.” He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees to fold his hands.

  “Yet.” She laughed. “There’s too much power going on up in this house for something explosive not to happen. It reminds me of the upper room.” She strolled into the house, humming a melody that praised Jesus.

  He didn’t expect Cheney and Parke’s love story to affect him. More than that, he wasn’t going to let Eva walk away from him, even if he had to kiss her into submission. Kidd remained outside, plotting his showdown with Eva until the mosquitoes started biting.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Eva woke disoriented, as she climbed out of bed to prepare for her fifth and final day on the midnight shift. “Why did I agree to this again?” she asked herself on the way to the bathroom. “Oh, that’s right. I asked for this punishment so I could be away from Kidd for a week.”

  She didn’t know which was worse: working nights or staying awake all night thinking about him. Lying in her own bed at eleven o’clock at night was the solid winner.

  Dawn had been disappointed that Eva agreed to switch shifts with Janet. Dawn did not like Janet and accused her of always having an excuse for why she couldn’t work her shift. She was forever begging people to switch with her.

  This time, Janet didn’t have to beg. Eva offered and Janet jumped on it. But Dawn didn’t have to know that. She only wanted Eva to tag along to a movie premiere, produced by some local talent. Personally, Eva was glad she had an excuse to decline. She wasn’t much of a moviegoer. Give her magazines any day, especially the bridal ones.

  Eva didn’t understand why she even bothered seeking God concerning Kidd. Her heart, mind, and spirit still weren’t in sync, so she stayed prayerful as her desire for him increased on its own. Was he lying with his explanation about the flowers?

  Sighing, she stared into her bathroom mirror. Peering closer, she verified Kidd’s count of her freckles. For some reason, that had become part of her ritual every night since he made note of them. She smiled because he was accurate. At the same time, Eva was saddened because her heart wanted to trust him. The immature and insecure woman in her wanted to call his bluff and meet these female relatives. Depending on how they looked, she might believe him.

  It was all a moot point anyway. In the end, if it wasn’t God’s will for her to be with Kidd, the trust issue didn’t matter. Eva couldn’t make a move until God gave her a sign.

  After brushing her curls up into a high ponytail, Eva opted to forgo the foundation and blush and just smeared gloss on her lips. She dabbed holy oil on her head and prayed for safety before leaving her condo. It was a habit her mother instilled in her as a teenager; something she still did whenever she left the house at night.

  Once again, Kidd was her unwelcomed mental companion on the drive to work. He was the type of man who could hold her attention, but what about those demons and secrets he mentioned? Eva shuddered. She just didn’t know if she was ready for that, if ever.

  His bitterness could destroy her heart. She wasn’t reared in a way to accept any kind of man into her life. She couldn’t do it. Eva knew the importance of having a mate who is a strong, Spirit-filled believer in Christ. She would accept nothing less.

  Eva also knew Kidd would never be able to overcome the stronghold over his life until he repented of his sins and confessed that he needed God. Then he would have to continue on the Christian journey with the water baptism to wash away the filth of his sins that had him in a stronghold. Taking those steps would empower him to grow as a babe in Christ. God is ever ready to bestow spiritual gifts that Kidd could never imagine.

  Eva pulled her car into the parking lot and turned off the ignition, but didn’t get out right away. “God, I know You can save and keep anybody.”

  They have to want to be saved; then I can keep them, God spoke.

  “God, You are faithful. Your Word says no one comes unless You draw them,” she said, paraphrasing John 6:44. “Jesus, You are stronger than any devil trying to consume him. Please overpower the darkness in his life and draw him. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

  Eva strolled through the back entrance of Garden Chateau, expecting, praying, hoping, and believing that God would help Kidd. Coming around to the nurses’ station, she nodded at Glenda, the RN on duty, and then clocked in.

  Irene, the LPN who Eva was scheduled to relieve, hurried to the nurses’ station. Her eyes came alive when she saw Eva.

  “I’m so glad you’re here on time. Janet has a problem with an eight-hour shift. She really believes it’s seven hours and fifty minutes. I’ll let you sign in and get situated before I brief you during the rounds.”

  After a few minutes, Eva was ready. She grabbed a flip chart and followed Irene into the first of twenty-five patients’ rooms. Eva would be assigned to their care until seven the next morning. It would
take her about two hours to do a thorough assessment of each resident before repeating the task again.

  “Everyone on this wing had a good evening. They ate and enjoyed naps without incident, except Mrs. Beaver. She’s in the mood to walk. Mr. Green was irritated and belligerent a few times. Of course, I wanted to tie him to the bed, but that was wishful thinking, and …”

  “I thought you said it was uneventful.” Eva gritted her teeth.

  “For the most part.” Irene shrugged. “The gangrene in Miss Jessie’s toes doesn’t seem to be responding to the ointment. No new orders from the doctor yet. Just keep a diligent eye on her.”

  Eva made notes on who would be her priority patients throughout the night. After they completed the final round together, Irene clocked out and waved a weak good-night. Eva could never get accustomed to doing her job when it was pitch-black outside. How Alaskans adjusted to darkness for six months at a time was beyond her.

  Completing the first round of her shift took a little longer than expected, especially since she’d gone through the same tasks for almost a week now. Waking up residents to change bandages, or to turn them in their beds, or even assist them to the bathroom were major chores. She was already exhausted and hadn’t completed half her shift yet.

  It was after one in the morning. Eva had just taken one resident to the bathroom again and checked on his roommate. Walking out of the room, she stumbled. She had to be hallucinating; her eyes were playing tricks on her. Bigger than life, there was Kidd, leaning against the wall. Talk about ghosts, this one looked real. She walked closer toward the mirage.

  “Kevin?” she barely whispered. At this hour, how could his gorgeous looks override his weariness? He appeared refreshed and inviting. Eva felt tired, grouchy, and self-conscious. Her hair was pulled into a careless ponytail and her face lacked any beauty enhancements. She felt justified because the night shift was more work, especially in the lock-down unit, to which she was assigned.