E Love Series Box Set Page 2

  “I love you. Is everything okay with you? I feel an aching in my heart and anytime I get this feeling, something is wrong. Are you upset I said Cody needs a spanking? I know how you hate the fact of people doing anything except talking to their children.”

  “Everything’s fine. And you know I can’t stand spankings. It would be different if they warned the child not to do something and shared why. And yes, I know the Bible says ‘spare the rod and spoil the child,' but does the rod of correction always have to be a belt?”

  “No, it doesn’t. But it also says an unruly child will shame its mother.

  Priscilla noticed he’d paused as if waiting for her to object. “To another subject, I’ve decided to go to Loving, Texas for Serafine’s retreat. I think I could use a moment to talk to God and fellowship with some of the other women there. I have not seen her in some time, and I want to put my eyes on her.”

  “I guess it’s alright with me because I know how much you love and miss Serafine.”

  “No my dear, I’m not asking for your permission. I'm considerate.”

  He paused as if not sure, how to perceive her response. “I hope you didn’t forget our date night tonight,” Steven stood, grabbing Priscilla again in his arms, “I love spending special time with you, mean girl, and loving you each time as if it were our first and last time. Girl, you don’t know how much I love you and how much I love making love to you.”

  “No, Steven, I haven’t forgotten about our date night.” She wanted to add “if you loved me, you wouldn’t be doing what you are doing.” But, Priscilla decided not to reveal her hand.

  “I love you too. I also love you loving me, and I know without any doubt you were the one God wanted me to have. Flaws and all, in good and in bad, through honesty or lies, I’ll be dressed and ready to go as soon as you get home,” Priscilla answered, releasing herself from his tight hold again and making her way to the cherry wood cabinets to get a glass.

  If she were a drinker, now would be the moment she would pour herself a stiff glass of Cîroc, E & J, or Hennessy. Priscilla knew when people drank they were either the happiest people alive or the worst victim ever victimized.“By the way, how did your doctor’s appointment go today?”

  Priscilla began trembling and almost dropped the glass. She thought Steven forgot all about her appointment and the thought of lying to him felt life-shattering. Priscilla walked to the refrigerator before answering so he would not see the hurt in her eyes. Burying her head as if she were searching for something to eat, she said, “All went well. I’m fine I guess.”

  “What do you mean by ‘you guess’?” Steven asked, turning around in his chair.

  Priscilla caught a quick glimpse of his face set in a stern inquisitive look, which reflected in his tone. With a swift motion, she turned back towards the refrigerator before answering, “No, baby. All is well.”

  She took a quick deep breath, closed the fridge, walked over to Steven, patted him on the shoulder, and as fast as she could left the kitchen. Priscilla caught her breath to prevent the invasive tears embarking upon her eyelids. She never wanted to lie to Steven, but he made himself clear. He would prefer not to have children.

  “And we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

  Romans 8:28

  Chapter Three

  Times when she lied or hid things going on, made Priscilla want to abandon their marriage. She loved him, but sometimes love proved not enough to hide the hurt and shame within.

  No matter how successful she became, or how much love Steven gifted her, it never erased the fact she hid her true self to make other people happy. In Steven’s case, loving him or lying still didn’t keep him from the most detestable act proven to destroy marriages.

  Priscilla had grown accustomed to hiding her feelings as a child. Her sister’s father beat her whenever she told the truth. He seemed to accept a lie better, marking the beginning of her life of lies.

  It could be something as simple as he asked about her day at school. If she said, “I hated it,” he would check her papers, and if she got one bad mark, he’d beat her. To keep from getting a beating, she would say, “I had a good day,” knowing well she hated school and her teacher.

  Lying became the fabric of her being. She felt most of her lies were to protect the feelings of others and only on rare occasions to keep herself out of trouble. This made her feel no better.

  A grown woman, but nothing had changed.

  The lies lately were to make her husband, happy or content. And lying to protect and satisfy folks, including herself, became sickening.

  She should have told Steven about the pregnancy. He’d participated. She did not get pregnant by herself. The blame belonged to him as well. Instead, because of her choice, all the responsibility and guilt rested on her shoulders.

  Priscilla’s lies even caused her to dread going to church. Somehow Pastor Strong would always start his message on something else, and then it became about lies turning ugly. The Holy Spirit reminded her “a liar will have his day in the lake of fire” far too often. She understood liars would not enter Heaven but breaking a habit she embraced from childhood proved quite difficult.

  Steven knew Priscilla well enough to know when something bothered her. He wondered why she chose to lie instead of telling him the truth. Understanding her reasoning as a child put pressure on him to comprehend it now.

  Never had he displayed the attitude of a man unable to handle the truth. No matter how much love he showered her with, she still felt the need to lie to him.

  Steven refused to allow his wife to be defeated, and he would not accept a lie. He did what any other concerned husband who knew his wife lied would do. Steven picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Thorpe’s office.

  Regretfully he received the answering service notifying him the office was closed and would be until Monday. He groaned. Four whole days before I can find out what is going on with Priscilla. This upset him.

  He slammed the phone on the hook and immediately picked it up to dial another number.

  “Good afternoon, you’ve reached Marshall’s Mortgage. How may I assist you?” Regina answered.

  “Hello, Regina. Mr. Marshall’s speaking.”

  “Hello, Mr. Marshall. Mrs. Marshall is on her way home. She said she needed to get some rest.”

  “Okay. Did Priscilla say anything to you about the doctor’s appointment?”

  Something had altered her mood since earlier, and he wanted to know what. Steven weighed his action as to whether his prying or trying to get Regina to say something would make her feel uncomfortable. He decided not to push.

  “She said her appointment made her a little tired. I considered how Mrs. Marshall’s been stressing over the home we are trying to close and blamed this for her exhaustion. It is a half a million-dollar property, and the lenders have been horrible. However, you know your wife. If there is any way possible for her to close on this deal, she will. If we are finished sir, the other line is ringing, and I have to answer it.”

  “Thank you, Regina.” He hung up and went upstairs to their bedroom. He needed to be en route to the office, but nothing was more important to him than Priscilla. Not even his job.

  When he made it to the room, he gently opened the door. Priscilla lay on the bed sound asleep. He took the white throw draped across the back of his recliner and covered her. Steven kissed her, pulled the curtains to block the sunlight, and took one more look at her then closed the door. She must have been exhausted given how quick she fell asleep. His gut instinct hinted something at the doctor’s appointment caused Priscilla to be either scared or upset, or both.

  Steven went downstairs and decided to try to locate Dr. Thorpe’s private cell phone number. He rummaged through the kitchen junk drawer for an old phone book. One sat on the living room shelf but did not contain the number he needed.

  One voice said, “Go wake her up and demand the truth,” a
nd the other said, “Give her to God, and watch Him fix things.” Although torn between which to follow, he decided since Priscilla belonged to God, who better to solve this situation than Him?

  Steven sat at the kitchen table and rested his head in his hand. After what felt like forever, he knelt in front of the kitchen chair to pray.

  “Father, You have known our ways, and You have known our hearts. I come before Your throne of grace and mercy to first ask You to forgive us of our sins, both known and unknown. Help my wife. Lord, I know she lies to protect those around her, but if it is Thou will, please take the spirit from her. I need to know she will trust You as I trust You. Be with her on this trip to Serafine’s and please allow Your angels, assigned to Priscilla, accompany her every step of the way, in every mile she travels. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

  Psalm 143:8

  Chapter Four

  “Hello, Ms. LeClaire. I’m Regina, Mrs. Priscilla Marshall’s assistant..

  “I am calling to confirm Mrs. Marshall’s reservations. She also wanted me to make sure she received the larger double room if possible.” Regina twirled the phone card.

  “Regina, yes. Is she coming today, or will she arrive on tomorrow?”

  “She’ll be arriving in Loving tomorrow about a quarter until one, and the baskets should get there before the end of business today. I pray the ladies enjoy their baskets; I fixed them with lots of love.”

  Regina had started out making baskets as unique gifts for her friends and at Priscilla’s request for people in the office. When she realized the blessing of her gift, she began selling baskets for all occasions: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas, you name it, and Regina could make a gift for any event or occurrence. Priscilla, feeling intrigued, contracted Regina’s Gifts & Baskets for creative keepsakes for customers closing with Marshall’s Mortgage. Thus, the sending of baskets for the retreat.

  “Thank you so much, Regina. I know they’ll enjoy their baskets if they’re anything like the one I received for my birthday. I loved my basket, and it took me some time to open it. As far as Priscilla, I cannot wait to see her either. It’s been a while since I last saw her.”

  “Yes, I know. Mrs. Marshall said the same thing regarding you. She also admitted you have a way of making her feel like all is well in the world we live in and I know she appreciates you and thanks God you are her friend. She says it all the time.”

  “Thank you, Regina. You’ve made my day. I will be looking forward to seeing her, and you be sweet and remember you are more than welcome to come to Loving, Texas anytime you like. Have a good day.”

  “You too Ms. LeClaire. You too.” Regina’s task finished, she packed her belongings and took one last walk around the office to secure everything. She glanced around for anything she might have missed, turned off the lights, punched in the code on the alarm system, and left without looking back.

  With another day behind her, she felt sure about her life’s direction. Her boss trusted her and became her friend. She made an excellent salary, drove a nice car, and lived in a lovely home. The one thing missing from her checklist: someone to marry seemed what she wanted most.

  No longer accepting the wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am she used to. When another man touched or baked in her cooking closet, he would be paying her bills and covering her life. Regina would not be the one you could ride and take back to the lot. You were either going to pay for her and treat her like a classic, or you were going to pass her by knowing her value was too expensive for your budget.

  As Regina drove home, a hunger pain struck her. I am so hungry, but I refuse to eat that. Nodding at some of the fast food joints she drove past, Regina sped up passing the car driving side by side with her, whipped her car onto highway 3132, and headed across town to Youree Drive.

  After choosing a restaurant, Regina pulled her upgrade into the corner parking lot. She always felt a sense of dignity when she exited her vehicle- but not pride. Pride had no place in her life. She understood humility could take you places you’d never been before, and Priscilla Marshall proved it.

  She opened the car door and, lowered her black, red-bottomed stilettos onto the pavement. When she stood, she smoothed out her black pencil skirt. Regina took her jacket off the back of her seat and folded and draped it on her arm. She then grabbed her purse, and strutted to the restaurant door like a runway model strolling during Fashion Week.

  Steven drove slow disregarding all the traffic rules for driving on I-20. He drove fifty miles-per-hour in the middle lane, and when horns started sounding off, he realized exiting the freeway proved smart. Looking in his rearview mirror, he swiftly pulled into the right lane and took Exit 23 to Hearne Avenue. Taking the back streets to his downtown office might be a better option due to his personal distractions.

  He mumbled to himself, “Does Scilla know I cheated on her? Lord, what on earth can I do to right this wrong? Do I come clean or do I say nothing and pretend it never happened?” Steven, so wrapped in thought, failed to notice the light had changed. Again brought back to reality by a passing driver blowing his horn while shooting the bird, he sighed.

  Steven pulled his car into the library parking lot. At least he could now think without horns interrupting his thoughts. His mind drifted to the day when lustful banter led him towards the unthinkable.

  “I bet I can show you something wifey could never show you.”

  “I bet I can let you, but when it’s all said and done who stands to lose the most?”

  “Neither of us will lose because you’ll get something you need and I will get something I want. Seems like a win-win situation to me.”

  He thought his marriage secured him from the lure of temptation. He also believed he loved Jesus a bit more than sex. Steven found out he’d blatantly lied to himself. His sister’s best friend, for goodness sake, and he never saw her as anything but a family friend. Now stuck living with his own colossal lie, which would never compare to anything Priscilla ever lied about.

  Steven could feel his stomach getting queasy again. He opened the car door and hung his head, happy he’d followed his first mind and parked in the last spot by the grass. Lately, his stomach did a number on him, and although Steven chalked it up to bubble guts from guilt, the constant uneasiness made him tired. After he’d discarded all his lunch, he searched his car for a bottle of water to rinse his mouth. Finding the toothbrush and toothpaste he used after the secret rendezvous in his glove compartment prompted his decision to go in to the library’s restroom.

  While brushing his teeth, he glanced at his watch. He’d allowed a full hour to pass and now needed to drive like a maniac to make it to his meeting. Steven discarded the toothbrush; he would never need another toothbrush outside of those at his home and office drawer.

  Speeding down Ford Street, Steven made it back to the office, and as he thought, things were in chaos. Arriving precisely fifteen minutes before the meeting, the looks on his co-worker's faces alerted that things were not going too good. He sped through his messages and decided to call Priscilla to cancel their dinner. Steven wanted to prevent her from sitting around waiting for him if the meeting required a late night solution.

  “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.”

  Ephesians 4:2

  Chapter Five

  Priscilla fake slept herself into a deep sleep. She did not want to talk to Steven and knew he’d perceived what she told him as a lie. She felt guilty thinking Steven might think the doctor diagnosed her with cancer or something horrific. Boy, he was going to get a shock.

  After she woke, she pulled her large designer suitcase from the closet and sleepwear from the dresser. She gathered a couple outfits for lounging, and sandals to finish packing the items she figured she could use. Sitting on her bed, she evaluated her life and then wit
h motherly instinct, rubbed her hands on her stomach.

  “Okay little person I’m going to feed us,” she said rising from her place of comfort. She always felt hungry, and now Priscilla knew why. Right now, she desired some pasta with sausage, chicken, and shrimp, and only one place came to mind. Noticing the red light on the answering machine flickering, Priscilla went over and pushed the button. The machine showed two messages, so she hit the Play button.

  “Baby, I love you so much. I know you lied to me, and I do not understand why. But I have decided instead of me going behind your back searching for the problem, I will give you the opportunity to tell me when you are ready. Priscilla, please don’t be disappointed I won’t make it to our date tonight. I came back to a disaster. One of the” Beep! Then she hit the button again to listen to the second message.

  “One of the foremen on the East Bay Street project needs me to adjust some things. I know I will not be home before dinner, so please find you something to eat and say a prayer for me. I love you darling, and I will give you a big kiss when I get home. I hope you are not too disappointed. Goodbye until later,” he said and made a smacking kiss sound.

  I hope he desires the same kiss when I tell him about this baby, and I’m leaving him, she thought, as she searched through the refrigerator for something to snack on. After seeing nothing piquing her taste buds, she grabbed her purse off the table. Priscilla smoothed her hair back, put on the shoes left at the door along with her jacket and scarf, and dialed Regina’s number as she walked to the car.

  Ring. Ring. The sound of the old ringtone made her laugh.

  “Hey, honey,” Regina answered, sounding chipper.

  “Hey, Gina, I’m going to find something to eat. Would you like to join me?” Hoping Regina would. Priscilla needed someone to talk to. At times, she felt like her mother, but she would like to think Regina viewed her as a big sister. Aware of the office originators teasing Regina about being her daughter caused Priscilla to do even more for Regina.