Real Love

by Alexandria House

  “What about you? I’ve been here longer than you! Are you being fired, Deborah?”

  “N-no.”

  Of course her lily-white ass was safe.

  “I see,” I said, staring her straight in the eye.

  “Denise, you have no idea how much I hate this for you, but they’re giving you a really nice severance package.”

  I stood from my seat. “You said effective immediately?”

  She nodded. “I’m so sorry, Denise.”

  I left her office without another word, returned to mine, and shoved my few personal belongings in my purse and a plastic store sack I found in a desk drawer. When I left the building, I could feel the pitying eyes of my former co-workers on me, and I was sure they’d known about this long before I did and that I had been the subject of their office gossip.

  I needed one of my mother’s pies in the worst way. That was the only thing that would make me feel better about losing my job—a warm, fresh out of the oven, sweet potato pie prepared by Jenny Owens. But I didn’t have the energy to deal with her, even though I was sure even she would be sympathetic at this point. My life was a wreck, had been for a long time. First I married Kevin’s sorry, couldn’t keep a job, ruined my credit ass, then I was forced to move in with my mother and spent years clearing up said credit before getting back on my feet, and now this. No job. Seven years of service wiped out in one conversation.

  I thought about all of the email blasts the bank sent out about what an exciting time this was, because they were acquiring all of these other banks. Never in a million years did I think their ambitions would lead me to the unemployment line.

  Never.

  But I guess that was what I got for thinking, or not thinking. Business-wise, it made sense. The deal going through was probably contingent on Union Central keeping some of Nation’s employees and taking on their leases. If I’d been using my brain, I might’ve been prepared for this, but as it stood, I wasn’t. I was in shock and immobilized by fear. What was I supposed to do now?

  When my phone rang, I started to ignore it. It was Trevia, and she was finally happy. Wouldn’t it be wrong to bring her down with my fucked-up life? But she was my friend, and as the tears filled my eyes, I knew I needed to answer her call. When I did, no words came out of my mouth, just a gut-wrenching sob. I couldn’t answer her when she asked me what was wrong, but when she said she was in town and on her way to see me, I managed to croak out, “Okay.”

  *****

  I have the best friends in the world—hands down.

  After I composed myself and told Trevia about the bank firing me, she called Greer. The next thing I knew, I was in the backseat of Trevia’s car with a packed suitcase next to me as Trevia and Nyles drove me to Houston where Greer insisted I stay with her and Derek until I figured out what I was going to do.

  This shit really blindsided me. I mean, I wasn’t dumb. I knew mergers usually meant some people lost their jobs in the process—collateral damage. But I had seven years of service under my belt. Seven years with no disciplinary action, working extra when asked, biting my tongue and not cursing stupid people out. Never late, barely even used my vacation days. And now none of that meant shit. Or maybe it literally meant shit. For sure, the situation was shitty.

  I stayed holed up in Greer’s guest room, only coming out to eat or use the bathroom. I loved my goddaughter, Kennedy, but even holding and playing with her didn’t do much to lift my mood. Getting fired from the only real job you’ve ever held is just extremely fucked up.

  A soft knock came at my bedroom door early one morning, about a week into my stay at the Hill Mansion. I didn’t respond to it, so a second later, the door opened and Greer peeked her head in. “Hey, can I come in?”

  I shrugged but didn’t move from my spot on the side of the bed.

  Greer stepped into my room wearing a pair of shorty pajamas, looking like she hadn’t even thought about having a baby.

  “Damn, SnapBack Queen,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Girl, Kennedy is almost one,” she replied.

  “I know, but I’m just saying. I’ve been tryna lose my baby weight since I was sixteen.”

  “’Nise, you’ve never had a baby.”

  “I know.”

  “You are so crazy.” She sat down next to me. “Hey, I wanna apologize to you.”

  I looked her in the eye and frowned. “For what? Having my back?”

  She shook her head and sighed. “No, you see, letting you sit up in here and feel sorry for yourself is the exact opposite of having your back. That would work with Trevia, because she’s soft-hearted. But you? You don’t need this. You need to get up and start making some moves. You’re a fighter, always have been, and losing your job hasn’t changed that.”

  I folded my hands in my lap. “By itself, no. But having a messed-up marriage, being thirty-two and alone, and losing my job has. And don’t say I have Christian, because I don’t love him. I could have, but he messed that up. Anyway, losing my job just knocked the wind out of me. I mean, I was finally back on my feet and now this.”

  “’Nise, they gave you a good severance package from what you told me, and I told you, there’s a job at Derek’s company if you want it. If not, that severance pay will give you time to find something else. But look, you hated that job, and now you’re free of it.”

  “I didn’t hate it. I just didn’t like it. And I wanted to quit, not be fired! You know I don’t take rejection well. And I don’t know how the hell to cope with it. I mean, I can’t exactly beat the bank’s ass or wreck its shit with a bat unless I’m trying to go to jail, and I’m too damn sexy to get locked up.”

  Greer threw her head back and laughed. “Right! And I’m proud of you for not beating your boss up. I half-expected to have to bail you out for punching her or something.”

  “Girl, you have no idea how badly I wanted to pimp slap her ass,” I said.

  Greer smiled. “That’s my sister right there! I know you wanted to beat that woman down!”

  “Hell, yeah! I wanted to snatch them ill-fitting dentures outta her mouth, too!”

  Greer laughed again. So did I.

  “Hey, thanks for letting me stay here. I just feel like such a burden sometimes. I wish I could be the one helping you,” I said.

  “You and Trevia have been there for me through a lot over the years. We’ve been there for each other. That’s what we do. Just so happens I have a fine, rich husband now and a big-ass house. I woulda helped even if I was still in my apartment and single. You know that. We’ve always had each other’s backs, and we always will.”

  “Yeah...”

  “Does Christian know you’re here?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been ignoring his calls.”

  “I figured that. Okay, here’s my advice to you: get yourself together and call him. An orgasm would do you good right now. Shit, they always help me.”

  I couldn’t even argue with her. Some good sex probably would energize me. “I will. Where’s the baby?”

  “Derek’s got her. Girl, he can barely stand to leave her to go to work, works from home half the time now.”

  “I noticed. Man, you hit the jackpot, Greer. That man loves you and Kennedy so much.”

  She smiled. “I know. I should be thanking Lloyd’s sorry ass on a daily basis for cheating on me and ending that stupid relationship.”

  “I know that’s right! Hey, speaking of ex’s, guess who slithered out from under his rock the other week?”

  “Not Kevin!” she shrieked with wide eyes.

  I nodded. “Had his mother call me talking about him wanting to see me to make amends or some shit. After I curved him, he sent a letter.”

  “What’d it say?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Been carrying it around in my purse for a while now. I’m sure it’s just some lame-ass, too-little-too-late apology.”

  “Girl, open it. This could be entertaining.”

  I reached for my purse on the f
loor next to me and dug through it. “Okay...but you’ve got to read it and give me a summary or something.”

  I handed her the envelope, and after she opened it, I watched her facial expressions, which were entertaining within themselves. First, she rolled her eyes, then she smirked, then her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

  I frowned. “What?” Was he dying or something?

  She didn’t answer me but dug back into the envelope and pulled out another piece of paper. For a second, I kind of thought it looked like a check.

  Wait...a check?!

  “Is that a check?” I asked.

  Greer just stared at me. “’Nise...”

  “What?!”

  “You need to read this.”

  “Okay...but is that a check?”

  “’Nise, just read the letter!”

  I huffed as I snatched the letter from her and began silently reading it:

  Dear Denise,

  Hey, girl. First I want to tell you how much I’ve missed you. I really have. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about you or wish things had gone differently. I wish I hadn’t been so stupid. What I did was wrong, and I’m sorry. I’d give anything in this world to get you back because you were the best thing that ever happened to me, Denise, and I mean that. I know you don’t want me anymore, and I understand why, but that doesn’t take away my love for you.

  Anyway, I’m not sure if you know I’ve been living in Maryland for a year now. Got me a job and a decent place to live. Been saving up my money and playing the lottery a lot. You know me and money, lol. So, guess what? I won part of the jackpot here. Ain’t that some shit? The first thing I did was give my mom and dad some money. The second thing I did was ask my mom to call and see if you’d meet me. The third thing I did was write you a letter and a check. You deserve more, Denise, but I hope you’ll take this gift and know it comes straight from my heart.

  Love,

  Your husband always,

  Kevin

  My hand shook as I took the cashier’s check from Greer and read the amount written on it—one million dollars.

  7

  I damn near fainted.

  I read the letter ten times. Stared at the check for almost an hour. Greer just sat there with me in silence. Shit, I think she was in shock, too.

  “Besides Trevia, I don’t think you should tell anyone about this money,” Greer suggested.

  “Hell, I’m not even telling my mama.”

  “You think Kevin or his folks will spread it?”

  “I hope not.”

  “Maybe you should call and ask them to keep it under wraps.”

  “Yeah...”

  “’Nise, you’re a damn millionaire.”

  “I know. Pinch me or slap me or something.”

  “For you to beat my ass? Hell, no!”

  “Yeah, I probably would beat you as a reflex.”

  “Shit, I know you would!”

  We were quiet for a minute, and then I said, “I think I should go to the bank and make sure it’s real before we get too excited. If it’s real, I’m gonna pay you and Trevia back for all y’all have done for me.”

  “Girl, I’m not taking shit from you, and neither is Trevia, and your ass knows it.”

  “I can’t stand you two heifers.” I really loved those two chicks.

  The check was real.

  So I deposited it, and then I had Greer drop me off at Christian’s car lot where I screwed his brains out in his office. And then I went home with him and screwed him some more. Had him screaming my name and everything. Shit, I had to do something to settle my damn nerves. Doing Christian seemed as good an idea as any.

  As we lay in his bed together early the next morning, he said, “Move in with me.”

  I did like him, but I had too much on my mind to be making decisions like that, so I said, “I’ll think about it.”

  8

  Although my stuff was at Greer’s house, I ended up spending the next week at Christian’s house. I finally told him about me getting fired, and while he was sympathetic, he also took this as an opportunity to solidify his case for us to live together. Shit, he was about to convince me to do it, too. But I knew I had too many other decisions to make at the moment.

  I had a bunch of money in the bank, a little apartment that I happened to love, and although I knew it was time for a change, something was keeping me from committing to leaving Dallas. Dallas was my town, always had been. I wasn’t sure why, but I wasn’t ready to leave yet.

  So, Greer sent me home on one of her husband’s private jets, told me I needed to get used to the plush life, because I was a rich woman now. I could definitely get used to the luxury, but if I didn’t come up with a good plan for my money, I knew I wouldn’t be rich for long.

  My first order of business when I got to my place was to call Kevin’s mom. After we traded greetings and chit-chatted about the weather for a bit, she asked, “Did you get your package from Kevin?”

  “Yes, ma’am. That’s why I was calling. Um...I wanted to ask if you could keep this on the hush. I really don’t want the world to know about this money.”

  “Oh, honey, I won’t tell a soul. We’re not telling people Kevin won the lottery at all. He owes too many people for that.”

  “But wasn’t it on the news in Maryland?”

  “Turns out Maryland gives winners the option of remaining anonymous, and Kevin chose that option.”

  That was a relief. “Um...can you give me his number? I’d like to thank him personally.”

  “He’d love that. It’s...”

  After we hung up, I took a deep breath before dialing my ex-husband’s number. Felt this weird warmth spread over me when I heard his familiar voice. As bad as he hurt me, I knew there would always be a part of me that loved him. After all, he was my first love.

  I replied to his hello with, “Hey, Kevin...it’s Denise.”

  “Hey, baby! Damn, I never thought I’d hear your voice again. You sound good.”

  “Thanks…you, too. Um, Kevin, I just wanted to thank you for the check. It was really nice of you to do that.”

  “It’s the least I could do after what I did. I really fucked things up for us.”

  “Yeah...you did.”

  “You were a good wife, Denise. I don’t think I ever told you that, but you were. The way you loved me? I been looking for that since you left me. Can’t find it. There’ll never be another you.”

  I smiled. “Well, Kevin, for what it’s worth, there’ll definitely never be another you, either.”

  He laughed. “I know, right? I was truly an asshole to you. But I loved you. I still do. Think we could try again? I mean, shit, I’m rich now. A hundred-mill rich.”

  I gasped softly. “A hundred million and you only gave me one million?”

  He laughed again. “That’s my Denise. Marry me again, and you’ll have access to every dime.”

  I shook my head. “No, thank you. But you be careful with that money, Kevin. Hire you a financial advisor.”

  “Already did. I ain’t tryna be broke no more.”

  “Good, well...thanks again, Kevin.”

  “You’re welcome, baby. Take care.”

  “You, too.”

  Before I could end the call good, I heard a key slip into the lock of my front door and then it flew open to reveal Trevia.

  “Damn, I see how Greer felt when we used to bust in here on her,” I muttered.

  She shut the door and placed her hands on her wide hips. “As if you’ve never busted up in my house.”

  “Not since you got married behind my back.”

  “Well, you got rich behind mine!”

  “First of all, keep your damn voice down. Second, that doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Why’d I have to hear it from Greer? How is it that she knew about it before I did?”

  “Because she read the doggone letter, nut! Why’d you sneak off and get married?”

  “Damn, Denise! You ever heard o
f being spontaneous? It was romantic. And it’s not like anyone else knew. Our families didn’t even know!”

  “Oh, so now I’m not family?”

  She stood there in her jeans and t-shirt with those weird-ass eyes staring at me for a good minute, and then she said, “What’s really wrong? You’re deflecting, because it’s been six months since I got married and I know you’re over that.”

  I threw up my hands. “Life! That’s what’s wrong with me. I just went from unemployed to a millionaire in like a minute flat. And then Christian asked me to move in with him, and Kevin was so sweet on the phone just now that I actually started missing him again for a second. I mean, maybe I could give him another chance since he’s rich now. Don’t you think?”

  “Well, do you still love him? Can you forgive him for what he did?”

  I sighed. “I think a part of me loves the him I wanted him to be, but I’m not in love with him anymore.”

  “Do you love Christian?”

  “Not really.”

  “Not really? What does that mean?”

  “I mean, I like being with him, but I wouldn’t be all that hurt if we stopped seeing each other. I want what you and Greer have.”

  She smiled. “It’s definitely a good thing to have. You’ll find it, ’Nise. I know you will.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I know I am.”

  “What am I supposed to do with this money, Trevia? I’m scared to touch it.”

  She pulled out her phone. “First, I’ma make you an appointment with my financial advisor. Second, we’re gonna go get you a car that was made in this decade. Third, you’re taking me out to lunch, to Norvino’s for some of their high dollar-ass shrimp scampi.”

  I grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

  9

  I pulled my new Nissan Murano into my mother’s driveway and took a deep breath. I couldn’t remember the last time I went to her house to see her and not to steal food from her. It was a Friday afternoon, so I figured I’d talk to her while helping her make plates for her customers.