Stepping out the shower, she caught her reflection in the mirror. There she was, all five foot six inches of her. Thanks to her power-lifting classes at the gym, she was in great shape. Olivia worked her abs back into a flat tummy after having the twins. It was hard work, but she did it. In the beginning, she was reminded of the C-section with each abdominal exercise she did. Her stomach felt like it was going to literally tear in half. Now, the only reminder was her five-inch bikini cut incision and a few stretch marks masked by her caramel skin tone.
Olivia was pretty enough. She wouldn’t say sexy, because when she thought of sexy, visions of video vixens and movie stars came to mind. That wasn’t her. She was more the girl next door.
She cut off her long locks a few months back and loved it. No more long and flowing for her. Bye-bye two hours under the dryer. Hello in and out of the beauty shop in an hour and a half. The transformation was amazing. She looked like she was still in high school, instead of thirty-one, with all that hair, especially when it was time to get it styled again. Olivia would whip it up in a ponytail and call it a day.
Now her hair was low in the back and the rest curled. She kept her long bangs. Most days, she swooped them behind her ear, with her glasses holding them in place.
The temperature had been in the nineties all week, and today wouldn’t be any different. Olivia dug through her closet in search of a nice summer dress to wear. She needed something that would be nice for the evening, just in case her sister turned into a chatterbox and she didn’t make it back in time to change. The outfit she bought on a trip to Atlanta caught her eye. It was a white, gold, and blue dress with a high waist belt, for more of a classy and sophisticated look. She matched it up with a pair of wedged sandals and headed out.
“Took you long enough,” Angela said an hour later. She stood at the door with her arms crossed.
“Like you knew I was coming.” Olivia hadn’t bothered to call first.
They hugged and walked into the kitchen.
“I thought you would have been on your way after our conversation this morning. Did you find the real you?”
She held up her hand. “Stop. You act like this is easy.”
Angela raised an eyebrow. “I know it’s not, but you need to put him out. Now.”
Olivia’s little men came running into the living room.
“Hey, mommy!” they sang in unison, giving her the reception she deserved.
“Hey, Double J!”
They were her hearts. Their names were Jaylen and Jayden. Although fraternal twins, they looked almost identical. Jaylen was an inch taller, and each boy had a mole, but the on opposite chin.
“You’re back early? Did Daddy come back early too?” Jaylen asked. He was the inquisitive one. Jayden could care less. As long as it did not affect him, Jayden remained silent.
“Yeah, he’s here too.” She ignored Angela rolling her eyes behind her baby’s head.
“Can we stay the night again?” Jayden spoke up. Angela looked as if she was a bobble head with head shaking and “hell no’s” she was mouthing. “We really went want to spend the night next door. Chris’s mom asked if we could.”
Angela smiled.
“Well, that’s fine with me. I mean, as long as your auntie is okay with it. I know how she loves spending time with you,” Olivia said with a straight face.
“Thanks, Mom!” They took off out the room.
“Whatever! You’re wrong for that. I’ll think twice before I say yes to a week ever again. They have way too much energy. Now back to that husband of yours,” she said.
“What the heck are you watching on TV?” Olivia walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch. She was desperate to give her sister something else to focus on.
Angela followed suit, taking a seat next to her. “The First 48. I love this show. It goes over how they try to catch murderers within the first forty-eight hours. They say if it goes past that time frame, there is a less chance in solving the crime.”
Angela watched all the CSI shows—Miami, New York, Las Vegas—and NCIS. She had her Bachelor’s in Criminology and was focusing on Forensic Science for her Master’s. Olivia called her a career student, because it seems like she’d been in school forever. Angela completed two years of college and got pregnant, so she sat out a year. Then she went back, taking a couple classes here and there. Thank goodness for online classes. She could speed up her Master’s with accelerated programs.
A commercial came on. Angela picked up the remote and lowered the volume.
“So, when you gonna put him out?” She jumped back onto Olivia’s case.
“Look.” Olivia sighed. “We’re going to dinner tonight and are going to talk over a few things.”
“You mean, he is going to lie, and you are going to be the good wife and play nice.”
I won’t be so good if I knocked you out your chair, now will I?
“Give me a break. I’m not that gullible. You’re starting to actually hurt my feelings, you know.” She was trying to hold back the tears, but they came rushing over her eyelids.
“Dang. I’m sorry, sis. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. You’re right. You have been through enough. I’ll leave it alone.” She hugged her.
Olivia knew that only meant she would leave her alone for the moment.
Chapter Three
Olivia saw Travis’s mouth moving but couldn’t comprehend exactly what he meant. It sounded something like he wanted them to have a fresh start and come clean on a few things.
He had picked her up from the house a little after six, like he said. Travis opened up the car door for her instead of walking to his side first. He even held his arm out for her as they walked. Then he drove to the Eagle’s Nest, her favorite restaurant. Olivia enjoyed looking down on the city as they ate. Their meal was delicious, and now they sat, waiting on dessert.
“Look, baby, I know I was wrong, and I can admit that.”
“Wrong about what?” There’d been too much. She needed specifics.
Ignoring her question, he continued, “Now, if you had of listened to me about going to all these different conferences, then this would not have happened.”
“Like I had a choice.” She pointed at her chest. “I’m the Human Resources Manager for People’s Insurance. How could I not go to our conferences? Yes, so Atlanta and Los Angeles are far, but come on now, you really can’t count Indianapolis. It’s only three hours away and I asked you to meet me up there.”
He leaned back in his chair and glared at her. “I own my business so you know I couldn’t go. Who’d be left to run the place? I make enough for the both of us. I told you years ago that you can quit at any time.”
“And any time has not happened for me yet. I love my job. Plus, I had at least a week in between each conference, during which I was home.” She let out a deep breath. There was no way in the world Olivia was going to quit her job. Her degree was in HR. What was she supposed to do, let it collect dust? How could she encourage her kids to go out and do something for themselves if she didn’t follow her own dreams?
“See, that’s what I was saying. If you had not of gone, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Travis, what exactly are you trying to tell me?
“I cheated. There, I said it. If you were home, this wouldn’t have happened.” He tossed his dinner napkin onto the table.
No shit. I know you cheated. I wasn’t buying the BS you were selling. Wait a second…
“If I would have stayed home, you would not have cheated?” she asked slowly, in an effort to comprehend the madness.
“A man needs his woman by his side. I can’t guarantee what will happen when I get lonely with you running around the country.”
Where the hell is this waiter with our check?
“Are you kidding me? We have a black man in the White House with a powerful black woman who can hold her own, and you want me to quit my job and do what? Stay at home and twiddle my thumbs? Our kids are not babies!�
��
“You could pick up a hobby or something.” He smirked.
“A hobby? I know what this is about. It’s about how much I make. You have been on this kick ever sense I was promoted to upper management. I wanted to start my own temp agency, but you convinced me that it would be hard enough with you owning your own company. So what did I do? I backed down. But two years ago, a chance for a promotion came open, and I took it. You’re dang right I took it! It should have been mine after the first three years with them. I was doing the job already anyway.” She opened and closed her hands, trying to relieve the tension she felt creeping up her spine.
Though they were having a heated discussion, they spoke in hushed tones. When the waiter brought their desert, Travis smiled and thanked him before starting back in on her.
“You want too much. You’re almost like a man. We can’t both be head of the house. I need someone who has my back.”
“I have your back. I always have. This is the one thing I have ever wanted for myself,” she pleaded. She no longer wanted the strawberry cheesecake sitting on the table in front of her.
“Well, if you continue to travel, I don’t know what to tell you.” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
“I do. You can get your stuff and get out of my home. I don’t have to deal with this. If I go out of town, you’ll cheat. You know I have to go again.”
I can’t believe I said that, but yes, get your shit! You better call Tyrone, or somebody, but you gotta go!
“See, this is exactly what I am talking about. You’re acting like a man,” he said through clinched teeth.
Olivia was happy to see that waiter come with the check. Travis sat, breathing hard and glaring at her. He was so used to her standing her ground and then slowly backing off. Not this time. She didn’t do anything wrong and refused to be punished for it with a cheating husband. Who knows how long his infidelity had been going on? He better pray she don’t have any diseases. She wasn’t showing any symptoms, but that was not going to stop her from getting checked out.
They rode home in silence. Her eyes stayed focused on the world outside.
Travis pulled the car into the garage. He got out, slammed his door, and left her sitting there. Olivia waited a few moments before walking in. Following the sound of a blaring TV, she found him in their bedroom lying across the bed.
No, my brotha! Get to packing…chop, chop. She walked into the closet, found his suitcase, and dropped it next to the bed.
“I’m serious, Travis. I want you out tonight.”
He gave her the look of death and pushed himself off the bed. Within minutes, he grabbed a suitcase, shoved it with clothes, and was out the door.
She, on the other hand, slumped into a ball of fear on the floor. Olivia cried uncontrollably. Her body shook as she broke down. She was scared of being alone, scared that he may come back, and scared because she never stood up to him before.
Chapter Four
Olivia hated going to family gatherings, for one reason in particular—her sister-in-law. Patricia spotted her the moment she passed the threshold of her parent’s house.
“Olivia, where’s Travis? You know you can’t go nowhere without him joined to your hip.”
The plastic red cup was an indicator of her drinking, and Olivia could smell the alcohol on her breath.
Like you don’t already know that I put his cheating ass out over two weeks ago. He has made zero effort to try and come back home. Not that I would have let him, but dang.
“He couldn’t make it this weekend. You know, he does work on the weekend.” Olivia gave her a fake smile.
“More like workout.” Patricia snickered.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know a man can’t be with one woman. And you can’t be without a man. You’ll take him back. I know you. You’ve always been spoiled. Welcome to the real world,” she said, her words slurring. Patricia turned, most likely in search of someone else to harass.
Olivia wanted to slap the smirk off Patricia’s face. She’d dealt with that woman’s abuse for over fifteen years. Patricia had been jealous of her from the moment she laid eyes on Olivia. For some reason, she felt Olivia had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Nothing she did or said changed Patricia’s perception. The fact that Olivia made good grades, earned scholarships and grants to college, had a job since she was sixteen, bought her own clothes in high school, along with a nonexistent father, didn’t mean anything. In Patricia’s eyes, she sat back and things fell in her lap.
“Hey, baby sis.” Her brother Jason, Patricia’s husband, came up behind her and kissed her cheek.
Olivia always wondered how her brother could be so sweet and end up with someone like Patricia. He gave her the world. She stomped all over him every chance she got. Jason never complained, at least not to any family member.
“Jason.” She gave him the biggest hug she could. Olivia could feel Patricia’s eyes boring a hole into the back of her shirt. It wouldn’t be long before she came back over to spread more of her hate around. She resented the relationship Olivia had with her brother. “I missed you. How have you been?”
“I should be asking you that. You okay, little sis?” He always had to rub that “little” part in, all because he came out two minutes before her.
“I’m good,” she said. Surprisingly, she was actually telling the truth. Olivia was handling the situation a lot better than she thought she would. Somewhere along the line, she still loved Travis, but she had fallen out of love with him. She was slowly discovering the new her, doing the things that she’d wanted to do.
“Well, you sure looked good,” he said.
“Where is your real twin?” Patricia asked, bringing her funky attitude back over to them, and referring to Angela.
Olivia and Angela did favor each other. Angela had a few more pounds than her, but she knew how to work those hips and have the men fighting to get to her in a club.
“Why you wanna know?” Angela walked up behind Patricia.
Patricia’s eyes grew big and her smile faded. “I just haven’t seen you, is all.” She knew not to mess with Angela. She’d flung Patricia around a time or two in the past.
“Well, now you see me. Go find you some business while us siblings catch up.” Angela waved her away, dismissing her.
Patricia took off in the direction of the kitchen. No doubt in search of a refill on her drink.
“No, she did not think she can come up in my momma house disrespecting folks. I know she’s your wife, Jason, but why so evil? Did she ride up on a broom?” Angela asked.
Jason and Olivia laughed. He knew his wife was crazy and didn’t try to hide it.
“We all need to quit. We’re supposed to be celebrating Mom and Dad’s thirty-fifth anniversary,” he said.
Thirty-five years was a long time. It’s an eternity when one part of the couple had checked out on the marriage decades ago. Their dad was a doting husband for the first five years and nonexistent for almost twenty-five. Then, a few years ago, he came around and quit running the streets. She wondered how their mom stuck in the marriage so long. Her mom always said he would come around one day. Olivia bet she didn’t know it would be twenty plus years later.
“You’re right. Go find your wife and come on.” She grabbed her sister by the hand and led her out the back door.
Olivia walked out to the backyard where everything was set up. Her parent’s old friends were standing up, making speeches, and making jokes about them. She released her grip on Angela and looked at her parents. The couple truly did look happy. Her dad no longer had the scowl on his face that she’d grown accustomed to. When the speeches ended, the hired DJ put on their favorite song, At Last by Etta James.
Her father took her mother’s hand in his and pulled her into him. He whispered something in her ear. She giggled; then they started dancing. The moment was so beautiful. The photographer had a hard time getting a good shot, because everyo
ne else was blocking his view to take their own pictures. He resorted to standing on a chair. Olivia had given him clear instructions, and he knew what would happen. She would’ve torn the photographer a new one if they didn’t get their money’s worth.
She stayed in the backyard for almost an hour. Her crazy uncle was doing the same old tired dance he’d done since she was a little girl. He still wore his dress socks pulled up to his knees even though he had on shorts.
Her mom’s best friend, Diane, was trying to find a sweet young thang to dance with. Diane was a cougar and proud. She didn’t care if the men were married, with someone, or claimed they were gay. Aunt Diane was determined.
Olivia sipped on her drink, watching on until she felt her phone vibrate. An email alert. Pushing the touchpad, she saw it was a message from The Playhouse. The owner wanted to meet with her.
She tried not to smile too hard, to avoid her family asking questions. In Olivia’s attempt to find herself, she had chosen to start with getting to know her body better by tapping into her sexuality. Seeing that old lady on TV expressing herself so freely those years back, had stirred something in Olivia. She wanted to explore it more.
Chapter Five
Olivia sat at the coffee shop, listening to the beautiful woman sitting across from her.
“I’ve reviewed several applications and have not been impressed over the last few weeks. That is, until I came across yours. Your resume says you are a Human Resources Manager?” Mercedes said.
Keeping straight face, the one reserved for business, she nodded.
“You know, you didn’t have to submit a resume. A little background history and why you were interested in working at The Playhouse would’ve been fine,” Mercedes continued.
“I understand. Is it going to be a problem? I just…well…I have no experience in this type of thing at all. This isn’t like me at all. The truth is, I’m getting a divorce from my husband, and I want a fresh start. He would’ve never agreed to anything like this.” Olivia sat up straight in the chair, poised like she’d been trained in charm school. The interview was making her nervous.
Mr. Right.com Page 2