If Your Wife Only Knew (14 page)

When they got back to Nicole's, Rashad took the purchased items out of the shopping bag. He tossed some nuts and bolts in his tool belt. He placed his hands on his hips and glanced down at his slacks.

“It's amazing how something so small . . . so lightweight, and so pointy has so much
power
.”

Nicole stared at the front of his pants then burst out laughing.

“I'm talking about this here nail.” He grinned and held out his hand. “I see what type of mind you got, miss lady.”

 

For the first time since Alexis and Rashad started hooking up, he became noticeably less available. Although she feared it might have to do with Kiara finding out about the affair, he only told her he “needed to take care of home.” But Alexis had a lot of pride. She felt something in her bones. And even though she promised herself not to stay involved with Rashad unless it had to do with Hayley, her jealous nature told her to check his ass and find out what was happening.

Playing her position was starting to get old.

Rashad was painting in Nicole's bedroom when Alexis called. Normally he wouldn't answer, but he did this time.

“Yo, wassup?”

“You. I was just calling to see what you're doing.”

“You know me. Always working.”

“I figured that,” she responded, lying her butt off. “What job are you doing now? That same one you've been working on?”

Usually Rashad offered Alexis all the details on the projects he had. But he never specifically told her he was helping Nicole.

“Yep. That's where I am, doing that little fixer-upper.”

“The baby needs some new things. Maybe I can come to where you are and hang out,” she told him, just to see what he'd say.

“If you need money, I will find time to drop it off. But you coming here, uh, no, that's not dope.”

“Why not? You've let me do it before.”

“This client is always here. That would be unprofessional.”

“Oh, okay.” She sounded disappointed. “We miss you. Haven't seen you in a minute.”

“You can thank Kiara for that. She tries to keep her foot on my neck. Why'd you have to admit that we did it? Don't you know how to lie?”

“What? I know that you aren't blaming all this on me.”

He heard the anger in her voice. “Look, no. I don't blame you, babe.” He thought about Alexis. Up until recently, she really had been a discreet lover.

“You've been really cool throughout about everything. I will make it up to you. I can come see you but we gotta be real careful, now more than ever. Kiara acts like she is one step away from kicking me out the house. And I won't put up with that. I put too much money in our house to be thrown out. So let me figure out something for us. Stay strong.”

The next day, when Rashad was working at Nicole's, he took a quick look around her bedroom. She only had a twin-size bed. He noticed how the small mattress dipped in the middle.

“That can't be fun to sleep on,” he said, pointing to her bed.

“Yeah, it feels like a damned hammock.”

“We gotta fix that.”

“How?”

“I know people.”

The next day, he had a friend help him move a queen-size bed, frame, and mattress into her house.

“It's been a long time since anyone did something this nice for me.” She choked up. “I'm so grateful. And I owe you.”

“No need. We straight,” he said, playing it off.

She ran and bounced on the bed and squealed at how tight and sturdy the mattress felt. She settled on her back and felt happier than she'd been in a long time.

“Yep.” She nodded. “We are straight. For real.”

She closed her eyes and before she knew it, she nodded off on her new bed. Rashad silently stared at Nicole. Her chest rose and fell as she slept. He walked over to the bed and admired the peaceful look on her face. He took a chance and opened up her dresser drawers. He found a blue blanket and spread it over her.

“Bye, Nicky,” he said, and closed the door. He knew he had more work to do but he needed to drive over to Lowe's. He knew where Nicole kept her spare house key. He quietly slipped it in his pants pocket and left, locking the door behind him.

I
t was the last weekend in June, only four weeks since Nicole had begun working in the communications department. She was getting acclimated to the city and was feeling like she made the right choice by moving to Houston and especially in accepting the new job. She enjoyed her work and had fun interviewing students and filming feature stories about their college lives.

That Saturday, Kiara had to work on a project that required some of her staff to film a very professional and costly video for Texas South West University's fall orientation. Rashad decided, since his wife would be gone all day, he might as well stop by at Nicole's.

“Hey, you,” he said when he walked in her house.

“How'd you get in here?”

“I used my key.”

“You used your key? Since when did I give you a key?”

“Since you accidentally let me know you leave an extra one under the welcome rug. That's dangerous, by the way. You don't want just any man coming in your house, do you?”

“No, Rashad. I don't want just any man coming in my house.”

They locked eyes. He felt she could see straight into his heart. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not. He broke the stare and started removing paintbrushes.

“I thought I'd get started on the bathroom. Is that cool?”

“Anything you wanna do is fine with me.”

“Is that right?”

“That's very right.”

“So why you don't have a man?”

“Excuse me? What you talking about, Rashad?”

“I kind of noticed that no man is ever over here. Anything that needs a man's touch, you always have me doing it. So don't be offended if it seems like I'm judging. But am I right?”

“You're right. Since I've moved here I haven't really met anyone. Haven't had time. But I know it won't always be that way.”

“What kind of man you looking for?”

“You want to know the truth?”

“Give me the truth. I can handle it.”

She giggled. “I like a jack-of-all trades. A man who is responsible and can get things done. Someone who is smart and athletic. A man's man, though, you know what I mean? He should only bat for one team.”

“I hear you. Anything else?”

“Love mustaches. I love thick lips.” She canvassed Rashad's entire face while she talked. “I am crazy about beautiful, dreamy eyes and nice hair. And he should be on the right side of the law. That's a must-have.”

“Sounds like you describing me.”

She simply grinned.

“You like me, Nicky?” His voice was husky. “Be honest.”

“I-I um . . .”

“It's okay. You don't have to be scared of hurting my feelings. Maybe I don't even compare to that dude you left behind in Alabama.”

“No, there is no comparison. He was hot, but I'll admit you are much, much hotter than him.”

Rashad suddenly grabbed Nicole's chin between his hands. “You shitting me?”

“No, I mean it. You are exactly the type of man I've been praying for.”

“Hmmm, word?”

Nicole stared lustfully at Rashad's lips. The corners of his mouth turned into dimples when he smiled. She could tell by the way he carried himself that he had mad bedroom skills. She'd already dreamt about him being on top of her, making love to her, and holding her in his arms. Maybe she was wrong for fantasizing about her boss's husband, but what woman in her right mind would knowingly send her good-looking, talented man into a single chick's house?

Nicole wondered why Kiara never came over to her house unannounced like a normal wife would. That alone let her know Kiara wasn't normal. She trusted Rashad too much.

 

The next day was Sunday. Kiara had an important project to finish and made a decision to go straight into work. Work gave her peace when home didn't feel right. Kiara got dressed and caught Rashad eating in the kitchen that morning. She knew he was about to leave the house himself so he could do some contracting work.

“Hey, Rashad,” she greeted him. “I don't wanna take Myles to the office with me today. So you gotta take him with you.”

“Huh? Nope, that ain't happening. I got a lot to do and he'd just be in the way.”

“He will be quiet and will leave you alone. Just make sure and bring plenty of snacks, some LEGO toys, and his books.”

“Even if I did all that, I'd still feel like I was babysitting.”

“I don't care what you feel like. He's yours too and today you're going to
babysit
.” Kiara grabbed her purse and keys and ran to the garage. Rashad yelled after her but she ignored him. The next thing he knew, his wife was gone. She had never just up and left Myles with him on a Sunday. He loved his son, but he didn't like the trick Kiara pulled on him.

“This is some bull. She's just trying to keep tabs on me.”

Rashad finished eating his cereal. His mind raced in a thousand directions. He actually wasn't working anywhere that day. This particular Sunday was dedicated to Hayley. Alexis was waiting on him. And he promised her that he'd come through to take them to a water park the minute it opened.

Just as he was thinking about how he was going to break his promise, Alexis texted him. He had recently purchased a smart watch that he could use to communicate with her. It resembled a regular watch and he hoped it would be safer than using his regular cell phone.

He texted back.

He went out to the garage to make sure Kiara was really gone. Then he decided to call Alexis.

“Myles is with me today.”

“Are you serious? What are we going to do? We can't cancel.”

“Hayley won't even know if we cancelled.”

“But I would. We'll just have to bring your son with us.”

“No fucking way. I don't want to do that.”

“She's his sister.”

“I know that, but this isn't a good way to announce all that. He didn't ask for this.”

She was stonily quiet and he knew he'd hurt her. It was something he didn't want to do and he hated when it happened anyway.

“I think I know how to handle this. Get ready. We're about to come over to your place right now.”

He woke up Myles and fixed him a quick bowl of cereal. Then they were on their way. But instead of going up to Alexis's door and knocking, he stayed in the car as it idled a few houses away from hers. When she was ready to leave in her own ride, he discreetly started driving to the far north side. He made a phone call as Alexis drove behind him.

When Rashad arrived at Glynis's house, he took Myles with him and rang her doorbell. Rashad was so nervous. He knew how Glynis felt about him, but he needed a huge favor.

“Hello there, Glynis. I know this is short notice, but can you please watch my child today? Just for half a day.”

She observed Myles and smiled. “He's a cutie. Go on in, son.”

“Thank you. You are so cool to do this—”

She rolled her eyes and snapped. “It's gonna cost you extra.”

“Name your price.”

He went into the house to find Myles and explained that the nice stranger would be his sitter for the day. He could barely look the boy in his eyes. He felt like crap but didn't have time to figure out a better plan. When Rashad got his son preoccupied with Glynis in a back room filled with toys, he quietly picked up his baby girl, gathered her things, and hurried out the house.

He was going to tuck Hayley into his car but decided against it. He let Alexis do the usual securing of their daughter. Then they were on their way.

All while he was driving, he kept thinking of Myles. He decided to use his main cell phone to make another quick call.

“Hello? Are my eyes deceiving me?” she said.

“Very funny.”

“You never call me on Sunday morning like this. What's up? Have you decided what to do with Myles?”

“Um, yeah. That's what I wanted to talk to you about.” He hesitated. “Kiara, I really am gonna be tied up today. So I found a sitter for him.”

“A sitter? Who?”

“It's this lady I know.”

“You left my child with a strange woman? What the hell, Rashad? Are you out your mind?”

“Uh, naw.”

“Who is she? Do I know her?”

“No, but she watches kids. She has an in-house day care.” Already he felt like he had told his wife too much. He instantly regretted telling her.

“But don't worry. He's in good hands. And it's just for this one time.”

“Rashad, I swear to God I don't know what the hell is going on with you but I smell something foul. I know one thing, you better not be fucking this woman, whoever she is.”

Kiara felt that even if they both had to work on Sunday, Rashad could do his part in taking care of Myles occasionally if she had to work too. She was trying to trust him, but she never would've guessed he'd leave their child with a ‘sitter' that she didn't know.

“I swear to God I'm not doing anything with her,” he explained. “It's nothing like that.”

“Then I want to meet her. I want to know who the hell you got—”

He hung up. He texted her.

Kiara texted back.

An hour or so later, Kiara was busy at work when her phone rang again. She looked at the caller ID. It was Rashad.

“Hello?”

She didn't hear him say anything. All she heard was a loud sloshing noise.

She kept listening and saying hello. She quickly realized his cell phone had accidentally dialed her. From the noise it was making, it sounded like his phone was in his pocket.

“At least I know I'm the last person he talked to since he butt-dialed me.” Kiara started to disconnect the call, but she kept holding on. She worked and listened. After a while, she heard voices.

A little kid squealing and chirping.

“What the hell?”

Her stomach hollowed out as if she were riding a roller coaster. “What the hell is he doing? Whose kid is that?”

The more she listened, the more she felt like she couldn't breathe. She listened until she heard him speaking into his phone.

“Hello? Hello?”

“Where are you, Rashad?”

“Did you call me?”

“No, fool. Your phone called me.” She paused. “I heard everything.”

“So?”

“Rashad, I'm going to ask you one more time. Where are you?”

“You heard kids' voices?”

“Yes, and it wasn't Myles.”

“I told you the babysitter owns a day care.”

She fell silent, wondering if he was telling the truth and questioning if he wasn't, what was the truth?

“I hope you aren't lying to me.”

“I'm not. For real. She does own a day care.” He paused. “How much did you hear?”

“Rashad, something isn't right. Why don't I know about this lady? What's her name?”

“That ain't important.”

“Why do you continually hide things from me?” She felt like a hypocrite when she said those words, but her fear made her not care. “Rashad, there you go again; leaving out everything about you that I need to know.”

“Look, woman. The only person that should know everything about me . . . is God.”

And he hung up. If Kiara had no proof about his actions, she shouldn't be so pissed off.

That's why Rashad made sure to give himself a little bit of physical distance between himself and Alexis while they were at the park.

Alexis stood nearby listening to the entire conversation. She could tell Hayley was having fun because of her screams of laughter whenever she played with her in the water.

She was glad for her daughter. But she noticed that Rashad seemed so distracted. His body was there, his mind was elsewhere.

“So you had to lie and make up something to Kiara about what you're doing, Rashad?”

“You know how it goes. We've been doing it this way all along.”

Alexis nodded. She could hear a voice telling her,
Be careful what you sign up for.
Mona Hooker constantly reminded her to know her worth as a woman. She begged Alexis to understand that she never had to settle for less than what she could be having with a better man, a gentleman. The seeds her mother had planted inside her were starting to develop.

“I know it looks like you're ashamed of your flesh and blood. You barely played with Hayley while you're here, and you dumped your son off so you could hide him from his sister. And you keep walking two steps ahead of me at this fucking water park.” She stared at the man whom she felt she loved. “In this arrangement, none of us are getting the respect we deserve.”

“Oh, okay, how about this?” Rashad pointedly grabbed her hand. He let little Hayley walk in the middle of her parents. He grabbed her hand, too. They all started walking down the gravel sidewalk, enjoying the breeze of the palm trees.

“Better now? You like this?”

She gave him a weak smile. “Better now. I like that.”

But Alexis spoke words she did not feel. She began imagining a life with a man who acted proud to be seen with her. One who didn't have to hide her and one who openly celebrated her and Hayley.