Secret Liaisons (14 page)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Mona hit the punching bag located at the back of the gym with an intensity that surprised Jeff, one of the gym trainers.

“Who are you mad with?” Jeff asked.

“Nobody.” Mona punched the bag harder.

“That's right. Get it off your chest,” Kem said, from behind Mona.

Mona turned to the side and saw Kem wiping sweat from her forehead.

“How did you enjoy the Zumba class?” Mona asked.

“I'm thinking about becoming a regular.”

“I wasn't in the mood to dance.” Mona hit the bag again.

“Obviously not. Do you want to talk about it?” Kem asked.

“Sure. We're done here, I think. Aren't we Jeff?”

“Yes. I'll see you next time.” Jeff grabbed his towel and bottled water that was nearby and left them alone.

“Let me grab my stuff and then we can walk over to the coffee shop and talk,” Mona said.

Kem remained quiet while listening to Mona talk about what had occurred in the previous twenty-four hours.

“I'm sorry. I think you and Terrance make a good couple.”

“We did make a good couple. He ended things with me remember.”

“Once he has time to think he'll be calling you and you two can work things out.”

Mona sipped on her cappuccino. “I don't know. You didn't see him nor hear how he sounded. The flowers were pretty. I hated I had to throw them in the trash but under the circumstances, I thought it was best.”

“You can't keep ignoring Garrett. I think you need to meet with him one more time and make it clear to him that you don't want him.”

“Maybe you're right. Maybe I've gone about this the wrong way. I'll invite him over for dinner and then he and I can talk.”

Kem frowned. “You know what. I'm jealous. I've never been invited over to your place. I've dropped you off, but never have you invited me inside.”

“That's because my little place doesn't compare to yours.”

“Whatever. I could care less about the size of something. We're friends.”

“I know but I love hanging out at your and Charlotte's place because it gives me a chance to see another side of life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not starving. I'm living within my means, but I do want a bigger place.”

“With this new series, something tells me that you'll be moving to a new address real soon. People are already talking.”

Mona smiled. “So there's buzz already?”

“I'm so happy for you.”

“It could have happened sooner if you know who would have given me a spot on their writing team.”

Kem pretended to not know what Mona was referring too. “You know I keep my business and personal life separate.”

“I know. I wish I would have. Now I'm forced to work with a man who doesn't want me anymore.” Mona pouted and started sniffling.

Kem placed her hand over Mona's in attempt to comfort her. “It's going to be alright. Don't cry. If you cry, I'm going to cry.”

Mona moved her hand and wiped her eyes. “I'm not going to cry. I'm going to pull myself together and make this work.”

“That's the idea.” Kem's phone beeped. “I got a late night staff meeting, so I'll catch you later.”

“Sure thing,” Mona responded.

Mona watched Kem leave. She pulled out her cell phone and sent a text message to Garrett inviting him over.

Mona heard a knock on the door. She sprayed floral air freshener in the air. She put on some lip-gloss, held her head down and shook her head so her curls could fall. She wasn't interested in Garrett but she still wanted to look cute. She glanced at herself in the mirror and pulled down her black knit top so that it went past the belt loops of her black denim jeans. Satisfied with how she looked, she went and opened the door.

Garrett stood on the other side wearing slacks and a turtleneck sweater. His fashion sense was totally opposite from Terrance's Mona noted to herself.

“Come in.”

Garrett gripped a bottle of wine. “I didn't know what you were serving but white wine goes with everything.”

“Thanks.” Mona took the bottle of wine from him.

Mona noticed Garrett looking around. “Cute place.”

“Small, I know. But I'm on a budget and don't like living beyond my means.”

“It's still cute,” Garrett responded.

“I guess. Dinner's ready. As you can see, I only have enough room for a small table so it'll be a little cozy.”

“Cozy is good.” Garrett smiled.

Mona cooked a quick meal, spaghetti and meatballs. She served it with some salad and garlic bread.

Garrett took a bite out of his food. “It's better than the last meal you tried to cook for me, that's for sure.”

Mona laughed. “Back then I couldn't boil water.”

“But you were going to be marrying a doctor. I would have hired you a cook. It was either that or starve.” Garrett laughed.

The playful banter continued over dinner. Mona put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and then sat next to Garrett on the couch.

“I really appreciate you giving us a chance to talk. I've missed you over the years. I really have.” Garrett held Mona's hand and kissed the back of it. He held on to her hand as it dropped to the sofa in a space in between them.

“Life without you was hard at first but I learned to adjust,” Mona stated.

“I'm here now. We can fulfill our destiny. The way things were supposed to be. Do you feel me?” Garrett's eyes were filled with love.

Mona felt her heart soften towards him. She placed her hand on the side of his face. She held it there for a minute. “Garrett, the man I'd originally planned to spend my life with, I wish things had worked out. Your mom changed the wheel of destiny when she interfered.”

Mona had never seen a grown man cry like Garrett. She wasn't prepared for his tears. The sound of his pain tugged at her guts. Before she realized it, her arms were around him comforting him. He pulled away slightly and then kissed her.

Mona closed her eyes and imagined Garrett was Terrance. The intensity of the kiss increased. She opened her eyes and her temporary fantasy was interrupted by reality. Garrett was not Terrance and they had no business kissing. She pushed Garrett away and jumped off the couch. Mona held her head down.

Garrett looked at Mona. “I hope he's worth it. His mom seems like a piece of work.”

“This isn't about Terrance. We're two different people now. Maybe if we'd married we could have grown together, but it didn't work out that way. I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry too. I promise to respect your wishes going forward. Can we at least be friends?” Garrett asked.

“Maybe in due time. For now, let's play it by ear.”

“I hope Terrance gets his act together, because he's one lucky man.” Garrett stood and walked towards the door.

Garrett opened the door. Mona stood behind him. Garrett turned around and looked down at her. “Goodbye Mona. All I want is for you to be happy.”

“Overall, I am. I want you to be happy too. Allow yourself to love someone else. You have my permission, okay.” Mona smiled. She placed her hand over his heart.

Mona gave Garrett a good bye hug. They both knew this was the end of their chapter.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Terrance sat in his car and went back and forth in his mind on whether or not he should go to Mona's place. Finally he decided to bring her bag over. It would give him an excuse to talk to her outside of the office.

He was prepared to get out of his car when he saw Mona's door open. He then saw her hug Garrett. He hit his steering wheel. So now his fears had been confirmed. Mona lied about not sleeping with Garrett. This was the confirmation he needed.

He started the engine of his SUV and sped away. He flew down the highway going twenty miles over the legal speed limit. He didn't care until he saw the flashing red lights in his rearview mirror.

He hit the steering wheel again. He pulled his SUV to the side of the road. He rolled down his window. The officer shined his flashlight in Terrance's face.

The officer said, “I clocked you going eighty miles per hour in a fifty five mile an hour zone. Let me see your license and registration.”

“My wallet is right here on the dashboard. I'm going to reach for it and hand it to you. My license and proof of insurance are right there.”

“Okay, sir. Remove them and hand them both to me. I also need to see your registration. This is an expensive SUV so I need to confirm you're the owner.”

“I'll need to go in the glove compartment for it.”

“Go right ahead.” The officer held his hand on his gun with one hand and shined the flashlight with the other as he watched Terrance move a sheet of paper.

The officer eased back when Terrance handed him his vehicle registration.

The officer said, “You stay right here. I'll be right back.”

Terrance watched the officer from his rearview mirror go to his police cruiser. A few minutes later the officer returned.

“You're clear. I'll have to write you a ticket for speeding. If you want to contest it, the instructions are on the back.”

“I understand.”

Terrance received the speeding ticket and pulled off. He was glad the traffic stop ended with no incident.

He made a conscious effort to watch his speed. His plans to ride around changed when he was stopped by the police officer; instead of cruising he went directly home. He pulled out a bottle of Bourbon from under the cabinet. He grabbed a glass and went to the living room. He flipped stations and landed on the movie
Titanic
. He poured himself glass after glass and watched the movie. The movie was a tragic love story that currently described his life. He emptied the bottle out and fell back on the couch.

The next morning, his phone buzzed constantly until it finally woke him out of his sleep.

Terrance reached for the phone. When he saw the alert, he jumped, hitting his toe on the coffee table. “Ouch,” he yelled.

He had less than fifteen minutes to get dressed and make it to the local TV affiliate for his national interview. He didn't have time to shower so he wiped his face, brushed his teeth and gargled several times. He placed both hands over his mouth and blew to make sure his breath didn't smell like alcohol. For extra precautions, he gargled with the mouthwash again.

Fortunately his clothes were well organized in his huge walk-in closet. He put on a gray
Giorgio Armani
suit with a pair of matching oxford shoes by the same designer. He tilted his head to make sure he didn't need to shave. He looked like a million bucks.

He only had a few minutes to prepare after arriving at the studio of the network station. One of the makeup artists fanned his face with a brush. She said, “You were shining. Now you're perfect.”

Patricia Bell, one of the local TV news reporters said, “The affiliate will be bouncing to us in a few seconds. Are you ready?”

Terrance shook his head. “Ready.”

Patricia read from the TV monitor and began asking Terrance questions about his new show and other projects. The interview only lasted ten minutes but it felt like hours to Terrance because he knew his interview would be shown to millions of people who watched the Early Morning Show.

At the end of the interview Patricia thanked him and then Terrance went straight to the office to set up his skype. The interview with Roland Martin went without any technical glitches on his end. Terrance checked his phone to see if he had any more appointments. His next interview was with a magazine reporter. It was scheduled during lunchtime.

The front office door opened. It was only seven in the morning so he jumped out of his chair to see who'd entered.

“Oh it's you,” Terrance said, when he saw Mona drape her jacket over her chair.

“Good morning to you too,” she responded.

“I wasn't expecting you so early,” Terrance confessed.

“I couldn't sleep so I thought I would come in and get an early start.”

Mona went about her normal morning routine of making coffee. Terrance wanted to reach out to her and hold her but then he remembered what he'd seen the night before. The anger and hurt he felt returned and he left Mona alone as he returned to his office.

Terrance closed his door. How was he going to be able to work so close to the woman who was tearing his heart apart? He wanted Mona and didn't want to lose her to her ex. He had to think of something because this wedge between them was driving him crazy.

His cell phone rang. He went to his desk and saw his mother's number displayed on the screen. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her so he sent her call to voice mail. The office phone rang. Mona's voice came over the intercom. He hit the button and responded, “I'm not here.”

He sat in his chair and swiveled it around with his back towards the desk. He closed his eyes and mediated. He felt better and was able to concentrate on work. He made a few phone calls to some of his crewmembers.

By the time he finished with the phone calls, it was time for him to leave for his interview. He walked out of the door but couldn't help but to notice Mona's face. She seemed just as sad as he felt.

Chapter Forty

It'd been several weeks since Mona said her final good bye to Garrett. He'd honored their agreement and hadn't contacted her. Being around Terrance frustrated her. One minute he was nice to her and the next he was snapping off her head. She never knew which version of Terrance she would get.

She hadn't chosen a replacement yet. She was thinking about using the help of a staffing agency to find her replacement if the next few interviews didn't go well. She needed someone quick because Terrance seemed to double her workload.

Mona felt miserable. This was supposed to be one of the best times of her life. The door opened and she smiled. Entering was a woman who was about Mona's height. Mona admired how nice she was dressed in her navy blue skirt suit.

“Welcome to TNB Productions.” Mona stood and extended her hand to the woman.

“Hi. I'm Catherine and I'm here for the secretary position.” The woman had a real soft voice.

Mona strained to hear her.

“Have a seat.” Mona touched a chair that was located in front of her desk.

The woman did as instructed.

Mona glanced at Catherine's résumé. “How long did you work as Pat Barne's assistant?”

In a very low voice, the woman responded, “One week.”

Mona couldn't hear her. She moved her chair closer and tilted her head to the side. “Can you repeat that?”

“One week,” Catherine repeated.

“Do you have a cold or something?”

“No. I'm perfectly healthy,” Catherine stated.

Mona wished she had a megaphone to hand to her. “Let's try something else. I'm going to call the phone and I want you to show me how you would answer it.”

Mona pulled out her cell phone and dialed the office number. Catherine smiled, leaned forward and said something. Mona looked at her phone and then at Catherine. “I want you to tell me about your drive over here today.”

Mona could see Catherine's lips moving. She could even hear a slight sound coming out of her mouth, but she couldn't hear her.

“That's enough. Catherine, thank you for coming but I don't think you're a fit for TNB Productions, but I do wish you well on your next endeavor.”

“Thank you. Maybe if another position opens, you will consider me,” Catherine said.

Mona smiled and shook her head. After that interview, she thought she needed to test her hearing. She dialed Kem's number. It sounded like Kem was yelling. Mona turned down the volume on her phone. “Thank God I can hear,” Mona said.

“What are you talking about?” Kem asked.

“I'll tell you later. I have another appointment.” Mona ended the call with Kem and greeted the next candidate.

Based on their résumés, the next few interviews seemed promising. The following candidate walked through the door. Her perfume filled the room the moment she entered. It would have been okay but it had a loud musky smell to it. Mona twitched her nose. She held out her hand.

“Welcome to TNB Productions.”

“Thank you, I'm Janie. Nice to meet you.”

“Have a seat.” Mona kept putting her hand to her nose.

“I see on your résumé that you were working at Wally World for ten years. Why are you now looking for new employment?”

“I've been working the night shift and I'm also tired of doing the same old thing. With a job like this, it'll give me some variety.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“May I ask you something?” Janie asked. “You may not notice but it's a strange smell in here. You may want to spray or something,” Janie commented.

Mona had a “are you serious” look on her face. “I will be sure to spray as soon as you leave.” Mona meant it.

Mona couldn't take any more of the stench. “Janie. I have a few more candidates to check out before making my decision. If you don't hear from me by tomorrow, then regrettably that means we went with someone else.”

Mona almost passed out because she was trying to hold her breath while she talked.

Janie stood and the smell almost knocked Mona out of her chair. “I understand. You have all my numbers.”

Mona reached in her desk and pulled out the air freshener and sprayed the moment Janie stepped out of the office. She started at the door spraying and then went all around the room. She coughed a few times because the fumes got in her nostrils.

Mona got a chair and stood on it. She sprayed the air freshener in the vent. Mona stepped down from the chair. The door opened and her next appointment had arrived. Mona stared at the woman in a tight, fitted dress that accented all of her curves.

“I'm Cindy,” the curvaceous woman said.

“I know exactly who you are,” Mona said. “If I would have known it was you, I could have saved you the trip.”

“Excuse me. Maybe you got me confused with someone else. I'm here to interview for the assistant job.”

“Cindy Scott. University of California. Majored in English Lit.” Mona recognized Cindy as one of the mean girls. Mona's parents weren't rich so she didn't have the luxury of having her own car and expensive designer clothes like Cindy and her crew. Mona had walked in on Cindy and some of her friends talking about her on many occasions.

“I'm sorry, but I really don't recognize who you are, but obviously, you know of me.”

“Remember the poor Black Texas girl you and your friends teased. Well, I'm she and I'm no longer shy and timid. Thanks to you girls, I grew up and fast.”

Cindy giggled and said, “We were young then. I didn't know any better. Since then I've changed. I've changed a lot.”

“I'm sure you have, but as far as you're concerned, the job you applied for has already been fulfilled.”

“But...” Cindy stuttered.

Mona went to the door and opened it. “Either you leave voluntarily or I will throw you out.”

“I know what it is. You're still the same insecure little girl from Texas. Most women are intimidated by me so I understand.” Cindy swooped her long weave over her shoulder and sashayed out the door.

“Good riddance,” Mona said and shut the door.

Mona sat behind the computer feeling defeated. The door opened and the last candidate scheduled for the day entered. Mona checked out the young lady from head to toe. She nodded her approval of attire.

“Hi. I'm Jerricka Thomas. I'm here to see Mona.”

Mona got out of her seat. Jerricka was on time, dressed well and had a nice voice that she didn't have to strain to hear.

Mona shook Jerricka's hand. “Have a seat.”

Mona went through the interview questions and Jerricka answered each one in a manner satisfactory to her. After the interview she said, “There's one other person you need to meet. Can you give me a minute and let me see if he's available?”

“Sure.” Jerricka crossed her legs.

Mona went to Terrance's door and entered. “I have a young lady I would like for you to interview for the assistant position. Do you have a moment?” Mona asked.

Terrance barely looked at Mona when he responded, “Send her in.”

Mona hated the tension between them. She plastered on a fake smile, turned around and said to Jerricka. “Terrance will see you now. I'll be waiting right here when you get out.”

Mona exhaled. It had been a busy morning. She crossed her fingers. Hopefully Terrance liked Jerricka too so it would help ease the tension between them.