The Choice Is Yours
September 17, 2008
Once again, she was sitting in the living room, sitting on the family couch, in her ranch style home. She was fuming because she was officially 2 hours late for the event that she was the integral piece in planning for. She set there, all dressed in her red, sequined, knee-length, v-neck, form fitting dress and matching red heels, on the couch. She was not only fuming, but bitter and pissed. He’d done it again. He completely disregarded her and her plans. She sat with a child on each side of her. Both of her children were resting comfortably with their respective overnight bags in one hand and the blanket that she made in the other. They slept so peacefully now, but 6 hours ago it was not so quiet.
Six hours ago, there was chaos and uproars between the twin towers of Kayla and Kevin. The 4 year olds were screaming at one another because one wouldn’t allow the other to play with some random toy. They were then crying because they had to sit facing one another for four solid minutes and afterwards hug and apologize. The screeching ensued when Nakeya, her 18 year old daughter, left for the event. The final knock down drag out battle came when they saw her dressed and ready to go and overheard her tell the driver that she would be set in 15 minutes. The last battle could’ve been avoided had their “wonderful” father been there to pick them up on time or even to sooth them. She’d tried his phone an hour earlier and upon reaching him, he stated that he was just finishing up a meeting and was on his way.
She looked at her cell phone and realized that was now 3 hours ago. She’d tried to reach him again, but this time all she heard was his stupid a…voicemail. She wanted so badly to find out where he was so that she could drop the kids off, after she let him have it for his selfishness. The kids calmed down once she began singing a song from one of their favorite movies, Cinderella. Not the original Disney movie, but the version with Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Whitney Houston, and the guy from the spy show, Alias. They loved the song, Impossible. She had to admit it was one of her favorites as well. They, of course, begged her to let them watch it until their father came and got them. She reluctantly relented after 15 minutes of repeated requests. Her fear was that they would get so involved in the movie that they wouldn’t want to go with their father and she would be trapped at home. She put the DVD in and sat down with the kids. The kids fell asleep before the Prince and Cinderella sang their duet in the marketplace. She felt sleepy herself, but the fury of the hours that she’d sat waiting on him to finally show up allowed her to stay awake.
She thought about all of the times that she’d sat and waited for him. All the times that he never showed up when she needed him. All the times that he pissed and moaned about her being 2 minutes late for something, but he dismissed his lateness as absentmindedness. All the times that she wanted him to do special things with his kids and disregarded them for his boys or his family. All the times that she thought about moving out and moving on, but didn’t because of how her twins’ faces lit up upon sight of him. She didn’t because when he was there, he was the greatest father anyone could ever ask for. She said that one day she would do a comparison to notate how many times he was there versus his time of being M.I.A. She was reflecting on a recent occasion of his actual ability to come through when the twins really wanted him there, when she heard the doorknob turn and his familiar footsteps. She stood and turned to face him. His mouth dropped open. She enjoyed the reaction, but wouldn’t allow this to detour her from her goal, which was to let him have it.
“Patrick, where the…?” she looked down at her sleeping children and pushed him back into the dining room, sliding the doors closed behind her. “Where have you been and what happened to you being on your way 3 and a half hours ago?”
“Kamyah, I’m sorry that you missed your little thing, but something came up. Although, you look good enough to eat, if you don’t mind me saying,” he stated as he looked at her like she was the last meal of a dying man.
“You are amazing! ‘Little thing.’ ‘Little thing!’ You are so, oooo, ugh! Patrick, what is wrong with you? Why can’t you ever…?” she looked him again and noticed that he wasn’t even paying attention to what she was saying. He was too busy focusing in on what she was wearing. “Oh my goodness! Is that all you can think about? You know what! Fine!” she walked over to the table, slid her panties off, and sat with her legs parted on two of the dining area chairs as she sat on the table. “If this is all you can think about right now, come and get it!” He didn’t miss a beat. Before she could really blink, he was making a meal of her. He came up for air and had his proverbial sausage in between her slices before she could register that he wasn’t completely finished with her. Once his substance had filled her and he was breathing heavily from exhaustion, she removed him and went to get cleaned up in the bathroom. When she was finished, she came out, grabbed her purse, cell, and coat and was headed out the door.
“Wait, you’re leaving? I thought you were…it’s too late for you to go, right?” he questioned.
“Oh no,” she said as she dialed the driver. “Yes, Jeffrey, would you please start the car. I’m on my way out. Thank you. I’m still going.”
“What!? So, what am I supposed to do? I cannot take the kids where they were supposed to go now,” he stated with indignation.
She was amused by his annoyance. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m so sorry that something came up and you were too late to pass our children off to someone else, but I have plans that I plan on following through on. Bye now!” she said as she turned and walked out the front door. As she walked to the car, she called her daughter.
“Keya. Hi honey. I’m on my way, right now,” she said hurriedly as she slid into the back seat of the car and Jeffrey closed the door.
“Ma, where are you? I cannot believe that you are just now…tell me that Mr. Jordan didn’t just get there?” she asked with utter abhorrence in her voice.
“Well, if I said that then it would be a lie and I would rather not lie to my eldest daughter. Has the number of attendants dwindled at all?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“No, they haven’t. As a matter of fact, they have increased in the last hour. It’s a great turn out! Just get here quick! Okay, Ma?” she was practically begging. Myah could almost picture the look on her daughter’s face pleading with her to be there as soon as possible.
“Yes, I should be there shortly. I’ll be there soon,” she stated and hung up the phone.
Her daughter reminded her so much of herself. She was going to school to be a Speech Therapist just as her mother had. Although, her daughter’s focus was stuttering and her own focus was the Neurological aspect, she enjoyed the fact that it was something they could share. They shared practically the same looks. Both had heart shaped faces, big brown eyes, short dark brown hair, b-cup breasts, small waists, and just enough cushion to grab hold to and say you have something. That is pretty much where it stopped though. Her lips were a kissable, pouty type and her daughter’s were full and luscious. Her skin tone was hazelnut and her daughter’s was mocha with a pinch of chocolate. She stood just barely five feet and her daughter stood 5’8. She wore simplistic yet sassy styles and had one hole in each ear. Her daughter’s style was sexy, but conservative and she had five holes in each ear. She struggled with her courses in school and her daughter was promoted 3 times because of her zest for knowledge and intelligence. She was an outgoing, overachiever and her daughter was a reserved introspective. They were two different individuals and she enjoyed their differences.
“Dr. Stallman, is everything all right?” Jeffrey asked as he looked at her through the rearview mirror.
“Oh, yes. Everything is fine, Jeffrey. Thank you for asking,” she replied as she looked up and met his eyes.
“I was just wondering, if you don’t mind me asking, why we were leaving so late?” Jeffrey questioned.
Jeffrey had been driving her to events for the past couple years now. The fact that there had been enough events for
her to be on a first name basis with the driver struck her in that moment. The hospital always provided a car for the senior doctors when these events came up. They didn’t want the doctors to have to worry about making travel arrangements to and from the events. The events were as much for the doctors as they were for the guests. Tonight’s event was a charity event for the new Cancer wing of the hospital. She was on the board that consisted of Specialists and Directors that handled the majority of the funding for the hospital. Westmont Hospital was the foremost facility for surgery and rehabilitation in California. She was proud to be a part of the team. Jeffrey was the second driver that she’d had in the past two years and his ability to make her laugh and lighten the mood was a great reassurance for her when these events came along. She was always excited, yet nervous because so much planning had gone into it. His being there to drive her every time made the drives to and from the events all the more bearable. She always requested that he be her driver. Not once had he let her down.
“Well, as usual, something came up with my twins’ father and I had to wait for him to arrive. Usually, Nekeya would’ve watched them, but tonight’s event, as you know, involves her as well. I couldn’t make her late because Patrick was being special,” she stated sarcastically.
“I can understand that.”
“Oh, by the way, stop calling me, Dr. Stallman. We have been doing these runs for far too long for that professional crap. Wait a second…why have you started back calling me by my professional name, anyway?” she asked trying to read his expression through the reflection of the mirror after stealing a look at herself in her compact mirror.
“I thought that I should get back into the habit of it, since my clientele list is going to be increasing soon,” he said nervously.
She looked a bit puzzled when she responded. “What do you mean your ‘clientele list is going to increase’?” she questioned. The Drake Car Service was owned by another individual and had been limited to the hospital for years as far as clientele went, as far as she knew.
“I will tell you all about it on the return ride home, since we just arrived at your destination,” he said as he slid out of the driver’s seat. He walked to her door and opened it. “By the way, you look fantastic tonight, Dr. Stallman. Enjoy yourself and call me when you are ready to return to your home,” he said as he helped her out of the car.
“Thank you very much, Jeffrey. Don’t think that I will forget that you have some explaining to do?” she said as she looked up into his hazel eyes.
“I won’t,” he laughed nervously and then made his way back to the driver’s seat of the car.
She watched him as he slid all of his 6’4, former linebacker frame into the car. She watched the way his suit curved to every muscle and curve of his body, especially the seat of his pants.
“You made it! Finally! My goodness, I didn’t think that you ever would,” she heard her daughter say.
She took her gaze off the car and pulled herself away from the thoughts that had begun to stir. “Yes, sweetheart, I am here. I finally made it,” she exclaimed as she began her ascent of the staircase leading to the grand ballroom. She stopped suddenly when she realized her daughter was not making the climb with her.
“Were you just checking out our driver, Ma?” she asked inquisitively.
“Uhm, why would you ask me something like that?” she said as she turned to begin the climb again.
“Yeah, that didn’t answer my question, Momma. When you do that it usually means that the answer is a loud and resounding affirmative,” Keya stated as she began following her up the stairs.
“That is not always true,” she said turning her head enough to see where her daughter was.
“Yeah, right, Ma,” her daughter laughed a little too hard at the statement.
“Okay, so what if it is true? I am a grown woman and I can look if so choose to,” she said defensively.
“I’m not knocking it, Ma. If I were into that pretty boy, beef cake type then I would be checking him out myself. I was just wanting to know if someone else had caught your interest, that’s all,” Nekeya said with a little smirk as they reached the top of the steps and she looked down at her mother.
Myah knew that smirk very well. It was a smirk that said NeKeya knew what her mother was thinking even though she didn’t want to speak the words. “You know, I really don’t like you,” she said as she walked passed her and into the ballroom.
“You love me and you know it. You just cannot stand the fact that I am right,” Nekeya said as she followed her mother into the ballroom.
“Dr. Stallman, how nice of you to finally join us?!” Dr. Nichols, the Senior Heart Specialist, stated sarcastically as he opened his arms to receive her reluctant embrace.
“Yes, Dr. Nichols. I am happy to finally be here. Was my presence missed that much?” she asked inquisitively.
“Ahh, yes it was, as always, Dr. Stallman,” interrupted Dr. Bennett. He was the Director of Neurology and the Senior Surgeon of the department. Dr. Nichols quickly closed his mouth, effectively shutting off any snarky response he would’ve given. They regularly worked together.
“Hello, Chauncey! I cannot believe that you missed my presence at all, considering how much time we have spent together on the Stillwater case,” she stated.
“Well, tonight is not about the patients. So, no work talk, at all from any of you workaholics. That includes you, little Ms. Stallman,” Mrs. Bennett said pointing an accusatory finger at Nekeya as she took her husband’s arm.
“Yes, ma’am,” was the only response that Nekeya uttered.
“That daughter of yours is quite the intern and she is quite a beauty as well,” Dr. Nichols commented.
“Yes, yes. I am truly proud of her,” Myah smiled brightly as she looked at her daughter.
“Well, let’s all mingle,” Nekeya stated blushing as she turned to walk away.
The night was a success and went off without another hitch. Myah and Nekeya said their goodbyes and walked out to the car, where Jeffrey awaited them with the door held open.
“So, are you coming back to the house or going to your apartment tonight?” Myah asked her daughter.
“Well, it is getting late and I have some studying to do. I also have to get up early to finish doing some volunteer work I promised to do at the hospital. You know, my apartment is closer than the house. So, I guess I’m going home. Besides that gives you and Mr. Morris more time to be alone to talk,” she said as she skipped down the final steps.
“Very cute and very funny, little girl,” Myah stated as she slid into the car.
“What is?” Jeffrey questioned.
“Oh nothing,” Nekeya quickly responded.
“She is just being herself and a little bit more annoying than usual,” Myah added before Jeffrey closed the door and walked to the driver’s door.
“Okay, so where to?” Jeffrey asked as he climbed into the seat.
“Keya’s apartment, please,” Myah said.
After dropping Nekeya off, Myah remembered that Jeffrey had something that he needed to explain. “So, what did you mean by that earlier comment?” she looked in the mirror and noticed his confused expression. “You stated that your clientele list was going to increase earlier?” she asked, wondering if he was being coy or if he had actually forgotten.
“Oh yeah,” he said in a manner that said he knew what she was talking about before, he just wanted to play it off. His deep voice had stepped up an octave when he spoke. “Oh, well, the business is increasing its clientele and opening another office. I am going to be Co-Manager and partner of the Savannah, Georgia office,” he said excitedly.
She was stunned because that meant that he was going to be moving away from the area, the state and she would not be stealing any more glances at his form in any way. “That’s great!” she tried to hide her disappointment. “I am glad that you have the opportunity. I didn’t even know that you were interested in owning or venturing into something like that.�
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“Yeah, I have thought about it for quite some time now, but just chalked it up to a pipe dream until Mr. Drake approached me about it,” his voice returning to its normative pitch.
They rounded the corner onto her block and she stared out of the window. Why was this such a disappointing event for her? He was just the driver. Yes, they had gotten to know one another, but they very rarely saw one another and she was sure that he had a girlfriend or wife or at least some form of significant other. She did, even if he wasn’t exactly what she was looking for in a man. He was a product designer at the Harper Company. The company designed all types of products. He made a decent living at it, but he didn’t seem to need to press on. He seemed to be happy with staying just where he was. He was content with his life. As far as looks, he was a fair looking guy. He was 5’8 and well kept. He didn’t have a muscular frame, but it wasn’t flabby or thin either. He kept himself clean and wore nice clothes, but it was more urban than business. He pretty much kept his entire head free of hair, except for his mustache and eyebrows. He was good to her when he wasn’t being a butt.
Although, lately, that is exactly what he had been. She was growing tired of it all. She began to wonder why she was remaining there. They had decided early on that no matter what was going on they would be there for one another as much as possible. The two of them agreed that the kids would always come first in their lives. They also, actually he rallied for them to never deny the other physical satisfaction, no matter how tired or pissed the other was. Within the last 6 months, a lot of that changed. He stopped making himself available to her and the twins. He stopped showing up to events and caring about the projects she was undertaking. He even seemed to be working more than usual. She was leery when the car pulled up in front of the house and his car was still there.
“Kamyah, I am really going to miss having you as a client and the talks that we’ve had over the years,” Jeffrey said as he opened the door. He went to grab for her coat and brushed up against her chest. The brush alone sent twinges of excitement up and down her body. She wondered if it was done on purpose or if it was an accident. She allowed him to help her out of the car.
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